A retrospective clinicopathological study of 550 patients with oral lichen planus in south-eastern Spain

Objectives: This study describes the clinicopathological characteristics of a group of patients with oral lichen planus (OLP) in south-eastern Spain. Materials and methods: A retrospective descriptive study was made of 550 patients clinically and histopathologically diagnosed with OLP in the period 1991-2007. Patient gender, age, the prevalence of hepatitis C, symptoms and malignization were recorded. The clinical forms were classified as reticular-papular and atrophic-erosive. Results: Of the 550 patients, 128 (23.3%) were men and 422 (76.7%) women. The mean age was 56.35 +/- 13.67 years (range 14-91). The prevalence of hepatitis C was 3.5%. The red clinical forms were the most frequent, with 359 cases (64.2%). The lesions were asymptomatic in 159 patients (28.9%). Five patients developed oral squamous cell carcinoma (0.9%); none of these subjects was smokers. Conclusions: Patients with OLP present different clinical manifestations. Women were more frequently affected by the disease, and the malignant transformation rate was under 1%.