Role of podoplanin expression as predictive marker in oral leukoplakia

The present study investigated a group of OLs, to evaluate a possible relationship between high expression of podoplanin and high grade dysplasia, and to compare the results from podoplanin with those obtained from two widely used predictive markers. The study population of 20 consecutive patients with a single white lesion clinically and histologically diagnosed as OL; 3 samples showed High Grade Squamous Intraepithelial Lesion (HG SIL), while 17 samples showed Low Grade Squamous Intraepithelial Lesion (LG SIL). Distinction between HG SIL and LG SIL was performed according to Ljubjana classification 2014. Immunoistochemical expression of podoplanin, p53 and Ki67 was analyzed in all samples. Podoplanin resulted positive in 2 out of the 3 samples with HG SIL, while showed positivity in 2 out of 17 samples with LG SIL (Chi squared 4.8; p< .02). P53 and Ki67 were also overexpressed in 2/3 samples with HG SIL, but did also show overexpression in LG SIL samples (respectively 4 p53 positive, and 13 Ki67 positive).