RECURRENCE OF LEUKOPLAKIA IN LATERAL EDGE OF TONGUE: A CASE REPORT AFTER 8-YEARS OF CLINICAL FOLLOW-UP

Leukoplakia is a premalignant lesion. We report a 41-year-old female patient, who presented a painless white plaque with verrucous surface, in right lateral edge of tongue side, measuring 2 x 1 x 0.1 cm. Clinical hypothesis diagnosis was leukoplakia and a biopsy was performed. Histologic sections revealed a mucosal fragment covered by acanthotic hyper-orthokeratinized stratified squamous epithelium clinically compatible with leukoplakia. Since then, medical consultations have been held every 6 months. Special attention was paid to the years 2012 to 2019, when there was recurrence of the lesion, with dysplasia varying from mild to moderate and intense. The patient was referred to the head and neck surgeon for complete removal of the lesion. In 2019 follow-up another lesion appeared with white plaque, smooth surface, and clear borders, and the patient was again referred to the head and neck surgeon. This case illustrates the importance of clinical follow-up of premalignant lesions and its different behaviors to be determined for treatment.