Podoplanin--a novel marker in oral carcinogenesis.

Podoplanin, a transmembrane sialoglycoprotein, is a specific marker for lymphatic endothelial cells which in recent years has gained prominent notoriety for its role in tumor progression and metastasis. It is an extensively studied biomarker for predictive assessment of malignant transformation as well as biologic behavior in both human precancer and cancer, respectively. This review summarizes the association of podoplanin overexpression in oral potentially malignant disorders and oral cancer with special emphasis on its putative role in carcinogenesis as well as its prospective use in targeted therapy.