Dysplastic Change Rate in Cases of Actinic Cheilitis: A Retrospective Study of 33 Cases

Background: Chronic lip inflammation is the characteristic feature of actinic cheilitis (AC), a precancerous lesion that can develop into squamous cell carcinoma (SCC). Early detection and education of individuals at higher risk for AC can reduce the likelihood of developing SCC. This retrospective study sought to assess the demographic and clinicopathological attributes of 33 patients diagnosed with AC. Methods: Thirty-three cases were retrieved from the archive of the Department of Pathology of Sina Hospital, Hamadan, Iran, between 2009 and 2019. All information was recorded from the submission forms, including gender, age, anatomical location of the lesions, size, duration, outdoor occupation, and clinical aspects. Results: There were 29 males and 4 females. The mean age was 62±14 years. Nine cases of older patients (>62 years) showed mild, moderate, and severe grades of dysplasia (3 cases for each degree). Fisher’s exact test indicated a significant difference between the presence of dysplasia and the age of the patients (P<0.001). In addition, a statistically significant distinction emerged concerning the presence of dysplasia and the size of the lesion (Fisher’s exact test, P<0.001). Likewise, a significant difference was found between the presence of dysplasia and the type of occupation regarding exposure to the sun (P<0.001). Finally, there was a significant difference between the presence of dysplasia and the duration of the disease (Fisher’s exact test, P<0.003). Conclusion: The clinicopathologic profile observed in the series of patients with AC revealed that patients were more frequently males, aged≤62 years. The predominant clinical features were erythematous and atrophic lesions. However, in cases with dysplasia, ulceration emerged as the most frequent clinical finding. Further research with larger sample sizes is imperative to explore the potential role of smoking and other environmental factors in the development of AC and its potential malignant transformation.