What can be mistaken for erythroplakia?
Conditions similar to erythroplakia The World Health Organization suggests that before making a diagnosis of erythroplakia, healthcare providers should consider and rule out other similar conditions. These include: acute atrophic candidiasis. erosive lichen planus.
What is erythroplakia of the tongue?
Erythroplakia is a red area that is either flat or raised. If it’s scraped, erythroplakia tends to bleed easily. Sometimes, patients have a mix of both types of tissue changes, known as erythroleukoplakia. In this case, the patch within the mouth or throat has red and white sections.
Is erythroplakia always cancer?
Erythroplakia. Erythroplakia is an abnormal red area or group of red spots that forms on the mucous membrane lining the mouth with no clear cause. The presence of erythroplakia does not necessarily mean cancer, but this precancerous condition has a high risk of developing into cancer.
Why does erythroplakia turn red?
There is an absence of keratin production and a reduced number of epithelial cells. Since the underlying vascular structures are less hidden by tissue, erythroplakia appears red when viewed in a clinical setting.
What percentage of erythroplakia is cancerous?
But about 50 out of 100 (50%) erythroplakia lesions can become cancerous.
Is erythroplakia serious?
It is the most dangerous of all the oral cancer precursor lesions, and a search for erythroplakia should be a part of every oral soft tissue examination in persons aged 35 years and older. No erythroplakia lesions should ever be left untreated.
Is erythroplakia smooth?
Erythroplakia is a lesion — an area of tissue that has suffered injury or disease — in the mouth. It is smooth and red in color.
Is erythroplakia itchy?
Patients generally experience local pain, burning, or itching. Since the clinical appearance of the lesion is nonspecific, a thorough drug history—including oral and dental preparations—is required.
What is the size of erythroplakia?
Erythroplakia clinically appears as a solitary, flat or depressed lesion with a smooth or granular surface and is most commonly caused by the use of tobacco and alcohol [15]. It is prevalent in middle aged and elderly males and varies between 0.02% and 0.83% varying in size from 1 cm to larger than 4 cm in size [16].
Does erythroplakia go away?
What are erythroplakia symptoms? Symptoms are simple and mostly visual. A red patch (as described above) appears and does not go away. Patients sometimes dismiss erythroplakia early stages as insignificant. They may not even notice a reddened or slightly raised patch in their mouth or throat. In some cases, erythroplakia early stages symptoms
How does erythroplakia relate to oral cancer?
acute atrophic candidiasis
What causes cancer on tongue?
Tobacco use
Does erythroplakia in the mouth hurt or bleed?
Erythroplakia is a reddish patch of tissue in the mouth. It is often brighter than the surrounding oral mucosa, with clearly defined edges, and it will usually bleed freely. This type of oral lesion is considered precancerous and can be a cause for concern.