Clinicopathological comparison and cytokeratin-10 expression between Lichen planus and oral lichenoid lesions

Objectives: This study aimed to compare clinicopathological features and immunostaining for cytokeratin-10 between oral lichen planus and oral lichenoid lesions.

Design: This was a retrospective longitudinal study comparing lichen planus and oral lichenoid lesions diagnosed at the Oral Pathological Anatomy Service that analyzed sociodemographic and clinicopathological data and CK10 expression. Chi-square tests, Fisher's exact tests and Mann-Whitney tests or Student's t tests were used when appropriate, and p values < 0.05 were considered significant.

Results: A total of 23 lichen planus and 23 lichenoid lesions were included. There was an association between oral lichen planus and symptomatology (p = 0.031). The buccal mucosa was the most affected site in both groups: 20 patients (87.0 %) showed oral lichen planus, and 16 patients (69.6 %) oral lichenoid lesions. Bilateral (p < 0.001) striae (p = 0.004) are more characteristic of oral lichen planus. Oral lichen planus was associated with degeneration of the basal layer (p = 0.049) and with mild epithelial dysplasia (p < 0.001). Cytokeratin-10 immunostaining was similar between the groups.

Conclusions: A continuous follow-up is necessary to identify different patterns of malignant transformation between groups of lesions, as well as for comparisons with lesions with a higher malignant transformation rate.