Case Report of the Squamous Cell Carcinoma in a Patient with Oral Lichen Planus

Lichen planus is a chronic disease characterized by bilateral and multiple lesions on the skin or oral mucosa. Lichen planus is caused by immune mediated degeneration along the border between epithelium and connective tissue. The incidence of oral squamous cell carcinoma in patients diagnosed with oral lichen planus (OLP) is reported to be between 0.4%-5.6% in different studies and the World Health Organization has categorized lichen planus as “a potentially malignant disorder”. However, the correlation between OLP and oral cancer still remains controversial as some reported that the reason for increased incidence of squamous cell carcinoma in OLP patient is misdiagnosis of dysplastic lesion as OLP. This report aims to discuss the correlation between OLP and oral cancer through a case of middle aged woman diagnosed with OLP who was successfully treated but developed squamous cell carcinoma 8 years later.