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The association between tylosis (palmoplantar keratoderma) and esophageal carcinoma in a group of related patients has been previously established and has been shown to depend on dominant genetic transmission. Sixteen out of seventeen such affected patients have been found to exhibit lesions of the oral mucosa classified as pre-leukoplakia in the younger subjects and as leukoplakia in the older patients. The histology of the pre-leukoplakias examined resembles in some features that of several developmental oral epithelial disorders. The histological appearance of the leukoplakias examined was of benign keratosis with no special features. No similar lesions were found in small control groups of unaffected siblings of the subjects involved or in unrelated tylotic patients. It is suggested that the oral leukoplakia associated with tylosis should be considered as a possible indication of a tendency to develop esophageal carcinoma.

Ultrastructural studies have been carried out on epithelium taken from seven cases of non-erosive oral lichen planus. Structural abnormalities observed have been consistent with light microscopic findings but no cellular changes specific to lichen planus have been noted. In particular the intranuclear structures seen have been similar to those described in a number of other epithelial disorders. Discontinuities of the basement membrane have been observed, without thickening or duplication of the lamina densa. No evidence of a viral etiology for the condition has been detected.