Abstract
“Oral potentially malignant disorders （OPMDs）” is a novel term conveying the concepts of precancerous lesions and conditions of the oral mucosa, which was proposed by the World Health Organization in 2017. It is defined as “clinical presentations that carry a risk of cancer development in the oral cavity, whether in a clinically definable precursor lesion or in clinically normal mucosa”.
Twelve lesions/conditions are mentioned as OPMDs, including erythroplakia and leukoplakia. Among them, there are some lesions that have relatively higher prevalence in Japan and/or have been widely recognized as important precursors of oral cancer. However, others are rare in our country or controversial to be classified as oral premalignancies.
Here we consider and discuss the literature concerning how OPMDs should be accepted and understood in the field of clinical practice, research, and education in Japan.
