Oral field cancerization and its clinical implications in the management in potentially malignant disorders

• Main Authors: Anisha Cynthia Sathiasekar, Deepu George Mathew, M S Jaish Lal, A A Arul Prakash, K U Goma Kumar
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Wolters Kluwer Medknow Publications 2017-01-01
• Series: Journal of Pharmacy and Bioallied Sciences
• Subjects: Field cancerization; genetically altered; patches; potentially malignant disorders
• Online Access: http://www.jpbsonline.org/article.asp?issn=0975-7406;year=2017;volume=9;issue=5;spage=23;epage=25;aulast=Sathiasekar

Oral cancer is one of the common malignancies reported in India. Most of these cancers are preceded by potentially malignant disorders. Despite improvements in the management strategies of these cancers the posttreatment prognosis has remained poor. The 5-year survival rates of oral cancers in most countries are still below 50%. The poor outcomes in oral cancer prevention and treatment can be due to nature of the spread of genetically altered cells as fields within the epithelial compartment. The conventional management protocols need to be modified taking into consideration the field spread of genetically altered cells.