Why worry about leukoplakia?
Dr. Wong: That’s the great question. The issue is that once cancer develops, it can potentially have a poor prognosis and bad outcome, and it can be very debilitating and it can lead to bad outcomes and death. So treating these lesions can be very important down the road in preventing a really bad cancer. Plus, there is also psychological component; Mr. H might attest to the fact that he doesn’t think about it very often, but it’s always probably in the back of his mind. And for other patients, it has a greater concern for them because they see it every day — sometimes they feel it everyday — and it creates worry and concern for them. So it’s important to look for signs of leukoplakia? Dr. Wong: Absolutely, I think that’s a crucial point. People need to be aware that this is a potentially highly treatable condition and if they seek medical attention, they can get observation and that they potentially can avert big bad problems down the road. So I think there is a very important point
