Tumor-like microenvironment in oral lichen planus: evidence of malignant transformation?

ABSTRACT

Introduction: Oral lichen planus (OLP) is a T-cell-mediated chronic inflammatory autoimmune disease affecting 0.1% to 4% of the world population. The WHO has already recognized it as an oral potentially malignant disorder. However, the reasons for the malignant transformation of OLP are far from being elucidated clearly. The purpose of this review is to clarify how the tumor-like microenvironment in OLP mediates its potentially malignant transformation.

Areas covered: We review published articles on the microenvironment characteristics of tumors, the pathogenesis of OLP, and clinical studies of OLP. The main sources of literature derive from MEDLINE/Pubmed and Thomson Reuter’s Web of Science.

Expert commentary: The tumor-like microenvironment, including hypoxic, inflammatory, immune and acid microenvironment, greatly contributes to carcinogenesis of OLP patients. In order to effectively monitor the malignant transformation of OLP, future studies should focus on long-term follow-up and select important detection biomarkers.

KEYWORDS:

• Oral lichen planus
• microenvironment
• oral squamous cell carcinoma
• malignant transformation
• oral potentially malignant disorders

Declaration of interest

The authors have no relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript. This includes employment, consultancies, honoraria, stock ownership or options, expert testimony, grants or patents received or pending, or royalties.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China under Grants (Nos. 81371147 and 81170972).