Clinical and Histopathologic Analysis of Labial Diseases in Korea

Park, Seyoung; Park, Hyunsun; Park, Kyoung Chan; Cho, Kwanghyun

Abstract

BACKGROUND
Labial diseases are common in dermatology. However, few studies have reported the clinical and histopathologic features of labial diseases in Korea.
OBJECTIVE
This study was designed to investigate the clinical and histopathologic features of labial diseases.
METHODS
We retrospectively reviewed 242 patients who received biopsy for labial diseases between January 2005 and May 2010. We compared clinical and histopahtologic diagnoses and analyzed the rate of concurrence. In addition, clinical features, including age, sex, and location, associated cutaneous lesions of 11 major labial diseases, which were confirmed by histopathology, were investigated.
RESULTS
The mean age of the patients was 52.2 years. The male to female ratio was 1:1.5. Lower lip was the most commonly involved (77.4%). The most frequent final diagnosis was venous lake, followed by nonspecific inflammation, labial melanotic macule, plasma cell cheilitis, postinflammatory hyperpigmentation, squamous cell carcinoma, lichen planus, mucocele, Fordyce's disease, pyogenic granuloma, and actinic cheilits. Venous lake showed the highest match rate (86.3%), whereas cheilitis simplex exhibited the lowest match rate (0.0%). We also analyzed the clinical features of 11 major labial diseases. The majority of labial diseases occurred in old patients, except for mucocele, Fordyce's disease, or labial melanotic macule. Most diseases occurred predominantly in females, whereas squamous cell carcinoma, plasma cell cheilits, and Fordyce's disease were male-dominant. The most commonly involved location was the lower lip, except for Fordyce's disease. Associated skin lesions, such as ulcers, hyperkeratosis, or whitish patches, were observed in squamous cell carcinoma, plasma cell cheilitis, actinic cheilitis, and lichen planus.
CONCLUSION
Compared to previous studies, the actual frequency of actinic cheilitis and squamous cell carcinoma was relatively lower while that of plasma cell cheilitis was relatively higher. We suggest that actinic cheilitis and squamous cell carcinoma are less frequently confirmed than previously expected and that plasma cell cheilitis should be included in the differential diagnosis of labial lesions, especially when they are located on the lower lip and occur in old patients.