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Tests and diagnosis
By Mayo Clinic staffMost often, your dentist diagnoses leukoplakia by examining the patches in your mouth and ruling out other possible causes for your signs and symptoms. To help ensure that no early signs of cancer exist, your dentist may remove a tissue sample (biopsy) for analysis. This can involve either removing the entire lesion (excisional biopsy), or a portion of the lesion, removing cells from the leukoplakic patches with a small, spinning brush (oral brush biopsy).
The tissue is then analyzed in a laboratory using a highly specialized imaging system that allows a pathologist to detect abnormal cells.
A negative report means no abnormal cells are present. If the report is positive, your dentist is likely to either perform an excisional biopsy, which removes the entire leukoplakia patch if it's small, or refer you to an oral surgeon if it's large.
Because your prognosis is better when leukoplakia is found and treated when it's small, regular checkups are important, as is routinely inspecting your mouth for areas that don't look normal.
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- Smokeless tobacco and how to quit. American Cancer Society. http://www.cancer.org/docroot/PED/content/PED_10_13X_Quitting_Smokeless_Tobacco.asp?sitearea=&level=. Accessed Aug. 9, 2008.
- Lodi G, et.al. Interventions for treating oral leukoplakia. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews. 2006;(4):CD001829.
- Gonsalves WC. Common oral lesions: Part II. Masses and neoplasia. American Family Physician. 2007;75(4):509-512.
- Pletcher SD, et al. Head and neck manifestations of human immunodeficiency virus infection. In: Cummings CW. Otolaryngology: Head and Neck Surgery. 4th ed. St. Louis, Mo.: Mosby;2005. http://www.mdconsult.com/das/book/body/101896247-3/0/1263/99.html?tocnode=49541644&fromURL=99.html#4-u1.0-B0-323-01985-4..50013-7_492. Accessed Aug. 12, 2008.
- Reznick DA. Perspective: Oral manifestations of HIV disease. Topics in HIV Medicine. 2005/2006;13(5):143-148.
- Can oral cavity and oropharyngeal cancers be prevented? American Cancer Society. http://www.cancer.org/docroot/CRI/content/CRI_2_4_2X_Can_oral_cavity_and_oropharyngeal_cancer_be_prevented_60.asp?sitearea=. Accessed Aug. 9, 2008.
- Handa S. Leukoplakia, oral hairy. In: Ferri FF. Ferri's Clinical Advisor. 1st ed. St. Louis, Mo.: Mosby; 2008. http://www.mdconsult.com/das/book/body/101896247-4/735379012/1531/365.html#4-u1.0-B978-0-323-04135-5..50015-0--subchapter16_7178. Accessed Aug. 13, 2008.
- Mernitz H, et al. Beta-carotene. United States Department of Agriculture. http://www.ars.usda.gov/research/publications/publications.htm?seq_no_115=208393. Accessed Aug. 12, 2008.
- Carr, AB (expert opinion). Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. Aug. 13, 2008.
