Prevalence of bilateral 'mirror-image' lesions in patients with oral potentially malignant epithelial lesions

• Main Authors: Siar, Chong Huat, Mah, Michelle Clare, Gill, Praveen Preet
• Format: Article
• Language: English; English
• Published: Springer 2012
• Subjects: RK Dentistry
• Online Access: http://eprints.um.edu.my/4326/2/Prevalence_of_bilateral_%27mirror-image%27_lesions_in_patients_with_oral_potentially_malignant_epithelial_lesions.pdf; http://eprints.um.edu.my/4326/1/Prevalence_of_bilateral_%27mirror-image%27_lesions_in_patients_with_oral_potentially_malignant_epithelial_lesions.pdf; http://eprints.um.edu.my/4326/; https://doi.org/10.1007/s00405-011-1712-x
• Institution: Universiti Malaya

Early detection of oral potentially malignant epithelial lesions (PMELs) is aimed at improving survival rates as carcinogenesis is a multistep process and prevention is possible if these lesions are detected at an early and reversible stage of the disease. A prospective clinical study aimed at determining the prevalence of bilateral 'mirror-image' oral PMELs was carried out. Sample consisted of 32 (53.3) Indians, 23 (38.3) Chinese, 4 (6.7) Malays and one (1.7) Nepalese. All had histopathological confirmation of their primary existing PMEL as inclusion criteria. A total of 70 primary lesions were detected. The most common PMEL found was oral lichen planus. Of these, 28 (46.7) patients exhibited bilateral 'mirror-image' lesions (n = 42) either synchronously (n = 32/42) or metachronously (n = 10/42). The remaining 32 (53.3) patients had normal-looking contralateral mucosa. Present findings suggest that patients presenting with oral PMELs are at greater risk of developing a second lesion, most probably in the contralateral 'mirror-image' site.