Epithelial risk factors
Reviewed by Stuart Clark

This review paper from Barcelona retrospectively assesses patients diagnosed with oral epithelial dysplasia between 1995-2014 and followed up until 2017. In total, 144 cases were noted, of which 42% progressed to an oral cancer by the time of review in 2017. Whilst they acknowledge the limitation of a retrospective study, they found that age, older diagnostic period, lesion grade, and surgical treatment were independent prognostic factors for progression to oral squamous cell carcinoma. Tobacco, alcohol use, comorbidities, or anatomical location of the lesion were not found to be independent risk factors. They note that different specialists involved in the decision making about treatment and interventions are not homogenous and depend upon experience and knowledge of each individual physician.

Risk factors for oral epithelial dysplasia to become malignant.
Gomez-Armayones S, Chimenos-Kustner E, Arranz C, et al.
INT J ORAL MAXILLOFAC SURG
2022;51(4);473-80.