DIAGNOSTIC CRITERIA OF ORAL LICHEN PLANUS: A NARRATIVE REVIEW/DIJAGNOSTICKI KRITERIJI ZA ORALNI LIHEN PLANUS: NARATIVNI PREGLED

Oral lichen planus (OLP) is a disease with unclear etiology or pathogenesis, categorized by the World Health Organization as oral lichenoid lesions (OLL; interface mucositis or lichenoid mucositis) into a group of potentially malignant disorders. The diagnosis of OLP is challenging because the clinical and histopathologic features are frequently seen in OLP, OLL and/or other mucosal diseases with lichenoid characteristics. Furthermore, OLP has a dynamic nature. Finally, an early and precise diagnosis can play a decisive role, allowing timely treatment and thus improving the patient quality of life. This article summarizes the state-of-the-art regarding OLP and OLL and discusses the challenges faced on making an accurate diagnosis, aiming to provide a practical guideline for the postgraduates and oral physicians in reaching the diagnosis of these lesions. Key words: Lichen planus; Oral lichen planus; Oral lichenoid lesions; Diagnosis guideline; Precancerous conditions Oralni lihen planus (OLP) je bolest nejasne etiologije ili patogeneze. Prema Svjetskoj zdravstvenoj organizaciji kategorizira se kao oralne lihenoidne lezije (OLL; prijelazni mukozitis ili lihenoidni mukozitis) u skupinu potencijalno zlocudnih bolesti. Dijagnosticiranje OLP-a je zahtjevno, jer se klinicka i histopatoloska obiljezja cesto vide u OLP-u, OLL-u i/ili drugim bolestima sluznice s lihenoidnim znacajkama. Nadalje, OLP ima dinamicnu narav. Konacno, rana i precizna dijagnoza moze imati odlucnu ulogu i omoguciti pravodobno lijecenje te time poboljsati bolesnikovu kvalitetu zivota. Ovaj pregled sazima danasnja saznanja o OLP-u i OLL-u te raspravlja o izazovima kod postavljanja dijagnoze, a cilj je pruziti prakticne smjernice za dijagnostiku ovih promjena za postdiplomante i lijecnike oralne medicine. Kljucne rijeci: Lihen planus; Oralni lihen planus; Oralne lihenoidne lezije; Dijagnosticke smjernice; Predkancerozna stanja