Leukoplakia of oral cavity and urinary bladder are premalignant to squamous carcinoma

Bibliographic Information
Authors: Wishahi M.
Journal: World Journal of Experimental Medicine
Publisher: Baishideng Publishing Group Inc
Publication Date: 20 March 2026
Volume / Issue: Volume 16 / Issue 1
Article No.: 114526
ISSN: 2220315X
DOI: 10.5493/wjem.v16.i1.114526
Scopus: View on Scopus
Document Type: Article
Access: All Open Access; Gold Open Access; Green Open Access
Authors and Affiliations
Wishahi M., Department of Urology, Theodor Bilharz Research Institute, Cairo, 12411, Egypt
Abstract
A critical work published by Panchannavar et al on the close link between oral leukoplakia (OLK) and oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC), the expression of epithelial mesenchymal transition proteins ZEB1 and E-cadherin would predict the progression of OLK to OSCC. In connection with similar clinical status, there are cumulative data that the urinary bladder leukoplakia (Bladder-LK) progress to invasive bladder squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) which does not response to local therapy that indicates immediate cystectomy, these findings were established with multiple publications with clinical follow-up that showed the progression of leukoplakia to SCC in both oral cavity and urinary bladder. Oral leukoplakia, oral SCC, Bladder-LK, urothelial carcinoma (UC) of the bladder, squamous differentiation of UC, and bladder-SCC showed expression of programmed cell death-ligand 1 (PD-L1). In recent years, immune checkpoint inhibitors immunotherapy for malignant tumors became a promising cancer immunotherapy. However, the role of PD-L1 inhibitors in OLK OSCC is controversial. Objectives are to highlight the rationale for prospective treatment of OLK and OSCC with PD-L1 inhibitors immunotherapy. © Author(s) 2026.
Keywords
Bladder cancer; Immune checkpoint inhibitors; Leukoplakia; Oral cancer; Programmed cell death-ligand 1; Squamous cell carcinoma
Citation Information
Scopus Citations: 0
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