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A long‐term follow‐up study on the natural course of oral leukoplakia in a Swedish population‐based sample
Author(s) -
Roosaar A.,
Yin L.,
Johansson A. L. V.,
SandborghEnglund G.,
Nyrén O.,
Axéll T.
Publication year - 2007
Publication title -
journal of oral pathology and medicine
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.887
H-Index - 83
eISSN - 1600-0714
pISSN - 0904-2512
DOI - 10.1111/j.1600-0714.2007.00501.x
Subject(s) - medicine , cohort , oral leukoplakia , oral examination , leukoplakia , population , cohort study , cancer , natural history , epidemiology , demography , pediatrics , oral health , dentistry , environmental health , sociology
Aim: To assess the natural course of screening‐detected oral leukoplakia (OL) among non‐consulting individuals. Methods: A cohort of 555 individuals with OL, confirmed in 1973–1974 during a population‐based survey, were followed through January 2002 via record linkages with nationwide and essentially complete registers. A sample of 104 drawn from the 297 surviving cohort members who still were living in the area in 1993–1995 was invited to a re‐examination. Sixty‐seven of them attended. Results: At the time of re‐examination OL had disappeared in 29 (43%) individuals. There was a statistically significant association between cessation of/no smoking habits in 1993–1995 and the disappearance of OL. Never/previous daily smokers were thus over‐represented among individuals whose OL had disappeared compared to those with persisting OL [ n = 23 (82%) vs. n = 18 (47%), P < 0.01]. Eighteen (78%) of the twenty three non‐smokers with disappearing OL had quit after the initial examination. One man and two women developed oral cancer during follow‐up while 0.7 and 0.07, respectively, were expected. Conclusion: Smoking cessation was associated with an increased disappearance of OL. Hence, at least one‐fourth had lesions that could be classified as tobacco‐related. Small observed and expected numbers prohibited firm conclusions about a possible excess risk of developing oral cancer.