Premalignant Lesions

Changes can occur in the lining of the mouth and upper aero digestive tract that of themselves are not cancer, but have a real potential to become a cancer. These lesions are called premalignant lesions. These are important to recognize because if treated early, development of a cancer might be prevented.

Premalignant lesions most commonly appear as white, red, or mixed red and white patches. Red or mixed lesions are of a higher concern to contain cancerous or precancerous (dysplastic) cells, but the appearance of the lesion, by itself, cannot tell you what type of cells are present in the lesion.

Biopsy of these lesions is very important to define what types of cells are present. Based on the biopsy, further treatment decisions can be made. If the diagnosis is benign, the lesion needs to be carefully monitored as changes can occur over time. Consideration is given to removing the lesion and your doctor can give you more information regarding the proper treatment. When dysplasia is present the entire lesion should be removed. This is generally done surgically or with the aid of a laser.