INTENSITY OF INFLAMMATORY INFILTRATE IN PROLIFERATIVE VERRUCOUS LEUKOPLAKIA

Abstract

Proliferative verrucous leukoplakia (PVL) may be difficult to diagnose in early stages because of the lack of specific features. Our aim was to compare the clinicopathologic features and inflammatory intensity between PVL and oral leukoplakia (OL). Clinical data were retrospectively collected from archives. The intensity of inflammatory infiltrate, the inflammatory cell counting was compared between the groups with the diagnosis of PVL and oral leukoplakia (OL). The intensity of the inflammatory infiltrate was showed in quartiles: Absence of inflammation, 0 cells (Q1); mild inflammation, 69 cells (Q2); moderate inflammation, >69 until 148 cells (Q3); severe inflammation, >149 cells (Q4). Univariate analysis showed significant association of PVL with higher grades of dysplasia, higher intensity, and presence of inflammatory infiltrate (Q3+Q4), and recurrence. A positive correlation was observed between PVL and the intensity of inflammatory infiltrate, high-grade dysplasia, recurrence, and malignant transformation rate. The presence of dense inflammatory infiltrate in early clinical phases on PVL seems to be an important differential feature to OL and indicates an ongoing immune response in the development of this disease.