Oral epithelial dysplasia: Do we have a management solution? A systematic review

Abstract

Currently there is no definite approved guidelines over the treatment and follow-up required for patients with oral epithelial dysplasia (OED). There are ample controversies based on predicting the malignant transformation potential and deciding the management options solely based on the degree of epithelial dysplasia. The objective of this review was to identify an evidence-based management pathway for OED. The systematic review was conducted using PubMed, EMBASE using PRISMA guidelines. Following applications of inclusion and exclusion criteria, only 12 studies were included in the review. Overall, there were a wide variation in the reported recurrence rate (2.5 %–51.4 %) and the malignant transformation rate (MTR) (2.6–27 %). The degree of dysplasia was not significant in malignant transformation. The mainstay of treatment includes observation, laser ablation and excision with no concrete evidence of resolution. Therefore, there is an urgent need for a multidisciplinary conference to create a consensus for treatment pathway for OED.