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See also cancer of the mouth and skin;
skin cancer; benign
skin lesions
What are pre-cancerous lesions?
Precancerous lesions are identifiable local signs (abnormalities)
that, with time, have an increased risk of developing into cancer.
We are learning more all the time about the conditions that can
develop into cancers of the mouth and face. For example, we believe
that cancers usually arise as a result of an accumulation of several
necessary genetic mistakes (mutations). Some of these pre-cancerous
conditions probably reflect stages along this progression towards
cancer when there are enough genetic changes to result in changes
in appearance and function but not to cause a cancerous behaviour.
What causes pre-cancerous lesions of the mouth or face?
We know that smoking and excessive consumption of alcohol can
lead to precancerous lesions, which might become cancer.
See also smoker's keratosis
If I have a pre-cancerous lesion, does it mean I will develop
cancer?
Anyone can develop cancer of the mouth
or face.
If you have a pre-cancerous lesion, the likelihood of you developing
cancer in the same area is increased - but it is not a
certainty.
Why is it important to know if I have a pre-cancerous lesion?
In general, it is important to know if you have pre-cancerous
conditions because there are steps you can usually take to reduce
the risk of progression to cancer.
Knowing that you have a pre-cancerous lesion, will also alert
your doctor to keep a careful eye on the area in case it progresses
into a cancer.
If it does progress, it can be treated early, which is usually
better in terms of treatment options and survival rates.
If I have a pre-cancerous lesion of the mouth or face what
can I do?
We know that some behaviours and exposures are associated with
pre-cancerous lesions of the mouth and face.
Your doctor and dentist will discuss this with you and explain
what steps you can take to reduce these exposures.
For example, some types of smoking and heavy consumption of alcohol
is associated with mouth cancer.
See also smoker's keratosis
How are pre-cancerous lesions diagnosed?
Dentists and doctors can recognise some pre-cancerous conditions
by their appearance and behaviour but they will probably want
to look at a biopsy under a microscope to make sure that there
isn't a cancer developing in the area already. To do this they
might take a biopsy (surgical sample) of some or all of the suspicious
area (depending on its size and location). This is usually done
after referral to an oral and maxillofacial specialist.
Knowing what the individual cells of the lesion are doing can
help us decide what treatment and advice to offer you.
How are pre-cancerous lesions treated?
The difficulty in managing premalignant lesions often relates
to the criteria used for assessing the presence or degree of premalignant
features under microscope after a biopsy.
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