Suspicious Oral Lesions

Abstract

Patients frequently present to their GP complaining of soreness or ulceration inside their mouth. Some will have noticed signs such as white or red patches; others will be concerned they may have mouth cancer. The majority of lesions that appear on the oral mucosa are benign; however, oral cancer or potentially malignant lesions may present with a similar clinical appearance and therefore a high level of suspicion is required. Late diagnosis of oral cancer results in a lower survival rate and a compromised functional and cosmetic outcome. Early detection and referral of any suspicious oral lesions are therefore essential to improve the outcome following treatment. This article describes the clinical presentation of malignant and potentially malignant oral lesions and reinforces National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) guidelines concerning specialist referral.