Management update of potentially premalignant oral epithelial lesions

The term oral potentially malignant disorders, proposed at the World Health Organization workshop in 2005, has now been renamed potentially premalignant oral epithelial lesions (PPOELs). It is important to differentiate among PPOELs, which is a broad term to define a wide variety of clinical lesions, and oral epithelial dysplasia, which should be reserved specifically for lesions with biopsy-proven foci of dysplasia. PPOELs encompass lesions that include leukoplakia, erythroplakia, erythroleukoplakia, lichen planus, and oral submucous fibrosis. The primary goal of management of dysplasia includes prevention, early detection, and treatment before malignant transformation. The aim of this article is to inform the clinician about management of PPOELs.