ORAL LICHEN SCLEROSUS: A RARE CASE REPORT WITH EMPHASIS ON CLINICAL AND MORPHOLOGIC ASPECTS

Abstract

Lichen sclerosus (LS) is a chronic inflammatory mucocutaneous disease that often affects the anogenital area; oral mucosal lesions are extremely rare. A 52-year-old woman presented for evaluation of a persistent whitish plaque in the buccal mucosa with an 8-year evolution. Intraoral examination revealed multiple, elevated, whitish lesions diffusely distributed in the buccal mucosa associated with an area of tissue atrophy. Under the diagnostic hypothesis of leukoplakia or lichen planus, incisional biopsy was performed, obtaining the histopathologic diagnosis of oral LS. The patient was referred to the dermatologist and gynecologist for investigation of possible skin and genital lesions, respectively. Because of the time of evolution of the lesion, total surgical excision was performed, and the previous histopathologic diagnosis was confirmed. After 6 months of follow-up, there are no clinical signs of relapse. This case highlights the importance of clinical and histopathologic findings for the correct diagnosis and treatment of oral LS.