22nd April 2024

Erythroplakia

Erythroplakia is a possible malignant disorder distinguished by red, velvety patches or plaques that cannot be attributed to any specific pathological condition. It is considered a high-risk lesion due to its strong association with oral squamous cell carcinoma. The exact aetiology of erythroplakia is not fully understood, but risk factors include tobacco use, alcohol consumption, chronic irritation, and HPV infection. The critical aspect of managing erythroplakia is its prompt identification and referral for biopsy. Excisional biopsy or incisional biopsy is performed to establish a definitive diagnosis and exclude malignancy. Treatment involves complete removal of the lesion, and patients should be closely monitored for recurrence or malignant transformation.

Image Source: NIH (2014). 25242838, Licensed under a creative commons licence. Available for free at: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25242838/#&gid=article-figures&pid=figure-2-uid-1 (Accessed: 23 January 2024).