A flat, discolored area of skin that is usually less than 1 cm
Macule
A small elevated sac formed by a membrane and filled with liquid, usually less than 0.5cm
Vesicle
Restricted to particular area
Localized
Affecting most or all of area, not restricted
Generalized
A condition that deviates from the normal or expected
Atypical
The presence of grooves or deep crevices
Fissured
Redness
Erythematous
Interdental papilla
Papillary
Small, solid, raised lesion on the oral mucosa that is typically less than 5 millimeters
Papule
Circumscribed, crater-like sore on the oral mucous membrane
Ulcer
An abnormal overgrowth of gingival tissues
Hypertrophy
Abnormal development of cells or tissues
Dysplasia
Excessive overgrowth of gum tissue due to an increased number of cells
Hyperplasia
Deterioration or wasting away of oral tissues
Atrophy
- Cancer cells break away from the mouth and travel through the body’s lymphatic or blood systems to form new tumors in distant organs, such as the lungs, liver, or bones
- Mandible more commonly affected than maxilla
Oral metastatic cancer
o Etiology: UV light, genetic factors
o Latency period: 20-50 years
o Epidemiology: most common form of skin cancer; rarely manifests intraorally
o Pathogenesis: UV exposure causes accumulation of genetic defects over time; lesion exhibits slow growth
o Characteristics: most found in head & neck area, appears nodular with depressed & ulcerated center which becomes crusted, may be pearly with small capillaries
o 5-year survival rate >99%
Basal cell carcinoma
o Etiology: UV light, burned areas, genetics, HPV virus
o Epidemiology: second most common skin cancer, intraoral lesions common
o Pathogenesis: begins in keratinocytes of outer dermis; has a prolonged in situ stage
o Characteristics: painless, non-healing, rough, red scaly papule that eventually becomes ulcerated and crusted as it enlarges
o 5-year survival localized >90% if metastasizes 25-45%
Squamous cell carcinoma
o Etiology: artificial tanning, moles, immunosuppression, UV rays, family history
o Epidemiology: less than 1% of all skin cancers, causes the most deaths, most common white males >50 years of age
o Pathogenesis: begins in the melanocytes deep in basal layer pf epidermis or in preexisting benign nevus
o 5-year survival rate 98% if found early
Melanoma
o Slow growth
o Usually encapsulated, grow slowly by expansion
o Cells are well differentiated
o Do not metastasize
Benign
o Variable growth rate, depends on the level of the cell differentiation
o Invades surrounding tissues by infiltration, not encapsulated
o Undifferentiated cells may not resemble cells or origin
o Metastasizes to distant tissues
Malignant
Malignancy that develops from epithelial cells
Carcinoma
Cancers which arise in the bones, and connective tissue such as fat and muscle
Sarcoma
Small, localized mass of granulation tissue and inflammatory cells
Granuloma
A serious infection of the tissues in the face or neck, often originating from untreated dental issues like abscesses or severe gum disease
Cellulitis
