An update on precancerous lesions of oral cavity.

ABSTRACT

Oral cancer is the most common head and neck cancer, found in 270,000 patients annually worldwide. Some cancers develop from precancerous lesions; however, there is no definitive clinico pathological factor or biomarker that reliably enables malignant transformation to be predicted in an individual patient. Early detection and early treatment of oral cancer are important for improving the survival rate of patients; prevention of oral cancer will clearly contribute most to decreasing its death rate. So correct diagnosis and timely treatment of premalignant lesions with high risk of malignant transformation may help to prevent malignant transformation.