Leukoplakia — MFDS Part 1 MCQ

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EasyOral MedicineLeukoplakiaMFDS Part 1

During an oral mucosal examination, a patient is found to have a persistent, painless white patch on the buccal mucosa. It cannot be rubbed off, and no other identifiable local or systemic disorder accounts for its appearance. What is the appropriate clinical term for this lesion?

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Correct answer: C — Leukoplakia

The correct answer is **A. Leukoplakia**. This is a clinical term for a persistent predominantly white oral lesion that cannot be rubbed off and cannot be explained by another recognised disorder. The exclusion of another cause is the key discriminating feature. Candidal plaques are usually removable, although non-scrapable candidal variants exist and must be excluded clinically. Oral lichen planus typically has characteristic bilateral reticular striae or another recognisable lichenoid pattern. Fordyce spots are multiple normal yellow-white sebaceous glands, while white sponge naevus usually presents from an early age as bilateral, diffuse, folded white plaques. Leukoplakia is an oral potentially malignant disorder, so persistent lesions require appropriate assessment and may require specialist referral and biopsy.

Reference: NHS. Leukoplakia, Symptoms and assessment. Last reviewed 15 May 2024. https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/leukoplakia/