Clinical and morphological features of oral leukoplakia

The review is devoted to modern perspectivesof the etiology, pathogenesis, diagnosis and prognostic factors of oral leukoplakia. The review describes modern non-invasive methods for detecting neoplasia in leukoplakia, such as optical coherence tomogra-phy, autofluorescence stomatoscopy, etc. Comparison is made of the national and foreign classification of leukoplakia. The article reviewedthe traditional and binary gradation systems of oral epithelial dysplasiaand a new term «differentiated dysplasia» in leukoplakia. A poorly studied type of leukoplakia with an aggressive clinical course, a high recurrence rate and a high probability of malignancy — proliferative verrucous leukoplakia is analyzed in detail. Considering the fact that up to date there are many open questions regarding the pathogenesis, diagnosis and treatment characteristics of various types of oral leukoplakia, there is an urgent need for further more detailed study of this pathology. © 2020, Media Sphera Publishing Group. All rights reserved.