Leukoplakia

Raised white patches on the mucous membranes of the mouth or vulva, caused by tissue thickening. It is most common in the elderly and is increasingly found in people with AIDS. Leukoplakia in the mouth, which most commonly occurs on the tongue, is usually due to tobacco- smoking or to rubbing by a rough tooth or denture. It is not known what causes the condition to develop on the vulva. The patches are usually harmless, although occasionally they result in a cancerous change in the affected tissue. If the condition persists, the patches are removed under local anaesthesia and tissue is examined microscopically for signs of malignant change. (See also mouth cancer; vulva, cancer of.)