Signs of abnormality
Signs of abnormality include:
White patches (leucoplakia a potentially premalignant lesion)
White patches (squamous cell carcinoma)
Red patches (erosive lichen planus which developed into a squamous cell carcinoma)
Red patches – a squamous cell carcinoma
Ulceration which may be painless and present for longer than 2 weeks (after sources of irritation have been removed)
Abnormal shape and feel, asymmetry, firm lumpy lesions (with or without lymphadenopathy)
Lesions at suspicious sites e.g :
- on the side of the tongue
- floor of mouth
By Welleschik - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0.
Lymphadenopathy - swelling of the tissues, asymmetry of the structures of the oral cavity (including the tonsils, the tongue or the lip)
By Luca Pastore, Maria Luisa Fiorella, Raffaele Fiorella, Lorenzo Lo Muzio - CC BY 2.5