Oral manifestations of leukemia

Leukemia is a neoplastic disorder of the blood forming tissues, primarily affecting leukocytes. This is heterogeneous group of diseases, which occurs from a neoplastic proliferation in the bone marrow. The replacement of normal bone marrow elements by leukemic cells causes decreased production of erythrocytes, normal white blood cells and platelets. The clinical result is anemia with weakness, fatigue, pallor of skin and mucosal membranes; thrombocytopenia with associated bleeding tendencies and leucopenia resulting in increased susceptibility to infection. Leukemia is of special interest to the dentists because he is frequently the first person to whom the patient turns for treatment. Dental procedures such as oral surgery, periodontal treatment, or even prophylaxis that produced trauma to the tissue may aggravate the situation and give rise to exacerbations of acute symptoms, which can result in death. Primarily, oral clinical manifestations may be consisting of gingivitis, gingival hyperplasia, hemorrhage, petechiae, erosion ulceration and necrosis of the gingiva and mucosa. The aim of this article is to evaluate the oral signs and symptoms of leukemia and present a clinical case, 59-old female with oral and extra-oral manifestation, as an initial signs of the disease.