Oral leukoplakia remains a challenging condition

Crispian Scully had many interests in the realm of oral diseases. But oral leukoplakia was one that piqued his curiosity when he was still an academic neophyte and remained a topic which he studied throughout his enormously productive career. It is easy to understand why. While the clinical manifestations of oral leukoplakia are common, we still do not fully understand why one version of the condition is benign, while another, similar in appearance, progresses to a malignancy. The diagnosis of oral leukoplakia is based on expert clinical and histopathological examamination. Management and treatment of leukoplakia remain challenging especially for large lesions and the proliferative subtype. This review aims to provide a general overview on leukoplakia, explore current challenges in its diagnosis and management and discuss the opportunities to better understand the condition.