PROLIFERATIVE VERRUCOUS LEUKOPLAKIA AND VERRUCOUS HYPERPLASIA

Proliferative verrucous leukoplakia and hyperplasia are irreversible c linicopathologic lesions of the oral cavity and upper respiratory trac t with considerable potential for evolving into verrucous or other for ms of squamous cell carcinoma. Proliferative vermcous leukoplakia is a disease of the oral cavity in which vermcous hyperplasia is a part of its developmental spectrum. Verrucous hyperplasia, at other head and neck mucosal sites, may be associated with papillomas or be a de novo lesion. Human papillomavirus, as a cofactor, plays a role in some of t he lesions. In the instance of vermcous hyperplasia, the authors consi der it an early form of vermcous carcinoma and recommend it be treated accordingly.