Occurrence of epithelial atypia in 51 Indian villagers with oral submucous fibrosis.

Fifty-three biopsies from the oral mucosa in 51 Indian villagers with oral submucous fibrosis have been studied for epithelial changes. A marked atrophy of the epithelium was found in 71.7%; the atrophic epithelium showed no rete ridges. The normally unkeratinized buccal mucosa revealed either ortho- or parakeratosis or hyperortho- or hyperparakeratosis in 48.0%. In one patient the histologic examination disclosed a squamous cell carcinoma. In 22.6% an epithelial atypia was found. The histologic features in these atypias are compared with those seen in leukoplakias from the same survey. The possible precancerous nature of submucous fibrosis is discussed.