page_title: Erythroplakia
section_title: Differential diagnosis of an oral red lesion
hierarchical_section_title: Erythroplakia / Diagnosis / Differential diagnosis of an oral red lesion
caption_attribution_description: These images are part of the 2013 publication from the NIH "Detecting Oral Cancer: A Guide for Health Care Professionals". Available on the 15/7/14 at http://www.nidcr.nih.gov/oralhealth/topics/oralcancer/detectingoralcancer.htm Erythroleukoplakia in left commissure and buccal mucosa. Biopsy showed mild epithelial dysplasia and presence of candida infection. A 2-3 week course of anti-fungal treatment may turn this type of lesion into a homogenous leukoplakia.
context_page_description: Erythroplakia is a clinical term to describe any erythematous area on a mucous membrane, that cannot be attributed to any other pathology.
  The term erythroplasia was coined by Louis Queyrat to describe a precancerous red lesion of the penis. This gave rise to the term erythoplasia of Queyrat. Depending upon the context, this term may refer specifically to carcinoma in situ of the glans penis or vulva appearing as a red patch, or may be used as a synonym of erythroplasia on other mucous membrane or transitional sites.
  It mainly affects the glans penis, although uncommonly it may present on the mucous membranes of the larynx, and rarely, the mouth, or the anus.
  Erythroplakia is analogous to the term leukoplakia which describes white patches. Together, these are the 2 traditionally accepted types of premalignant lesion in the mouth, When a lesion contains both red and white areas, the term "speckled leukoplakia" or "eyrthroleukoplakia" is used.
  Although oral erythroplakia is much less common than leukoplakia, erythroplakia carries a significantly higher risk of containing dysplasia or carcinoma in situ, and of eventually transforming into invasive squamous cell carcinoma.
context_section_description: There are many other conditions that are similar in appearance and must be ruled out before a diagnosis of erythroplakia is made (see table).  Sometimes, a diagnosis is delayed for up to two weeks in order to see if the lesion spontaneously regresses on its own or if another cause can be found.  Erythroplakia frequently is associated with dysplasia, and is thus a precancerous lesion.
caption: Erythroleukoplakia ("speckled leukoplakia"), left commissure. Biopsy showed mild epithelial dysplasia and candida infection. Antifungal medication may turn this type of lesion into a homogenous leukoplakia (i.e. the red areas would disappear)
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