Differential Diagnosis of HPV-related Oral Lesions - Case Series

Description of cases: Case 1: Male patient, 54 years old, with whitish verrucous lesion on the retrocomissural jugal mucosa, whose anatomopathological examination revealed squamous papilloma. Case 2: A 50-year-old male patient with multiple papules in the jugal, labial and buccal mucosa, whose anatomopathological examination shows the scaly papillae (multifocal epithelial hyperplasia or Heck's disease). Case 3: Female patient, 45 years old, with exophytic white lesion on the edge of the tongue, whose anatomopathological examination showed squamous papilloma. Case 4: Male patient, 34 years old, with three exophytic lesions on the labial mucosa, gingiva and hard palate, whose anatomopathological examination was of squamous papillomas. Case 5: A 66-year-old female patient with a whitish plaque on the mandibular gum, whose anatomopathological examination suggested squamous papilloma. Case 6: Female patient, 66 years old, with verrucous exophytic lesion at the mucocutaneous transition near the labial commissure, whose anatomopathological examination confirmed verruca vulgaris. Discussion: HPV infection is relatively common in the population, affecting individuals of all ages. Benign oral manifestations include squamous papilloma, verruca vulgaris, condyloma acuminata and multifocal epithelial hyperplasia. These lesions may present similar clinical characteristics, being essential the histological analysis to obtain the correct diagnosis. Conclusions: The knowledge of the pathophysiology of the disease and the careful clinical evaluation of the lesions are fundamental for the institution of the appropriate therapeutic approach. Some HPV subtypes are associated with an increased risk of developing cancer, especially the oropharynx. The Dentist plays an important role in the diagnosis and treatment of oral lesions. Keywords: human papilloma virus (HPV), verruca vulgaris, squamous papilloma, condyloma acuminatum, multifocal epithelial hyperplasia