Actinic cheilitis: clinicopathologic profile and association with degree of dysplasia

Background Actinic cheilitis (AC) is a potentially malignant disorder of the lip caused by exposure to solar radiation. Objectives This study was conducted to evaluate the clinicopathologic profile of cases of AC and to verify associations with the degree of dysplasia. Methods This retrospective study analyzed data for 40 patients with AC. Demographic, clinical, and histopathologic data were evaluated. Sections measuring 5 μm in thickness were cut, deparaffinized, and stained with hematoxylin and eosin for histologic examination. The degree of epithelial dysplasia was graded using the criteria defined by the World Health Organization. Two calibrated oral pathologists analyzed the slides. Results Analysis of the AC patients sampled showed that 75.0% were male (P = 0.002), 80.0% were aged ≥40 years (P