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Module 12: Soft Tissue Lesions (Soft Tissue Lession (May be: (present at…
Module 12: Soft Tissue Lesions
Learning to Examine Lesions
inspection of the skin and oral mucosa for soft tissue lesions is an important part of every head and neck examination and intraoral examination.
performing routine screenings, dental health care providers can reduce deaths from skin, oral, and pharyngeal cancers
most effective approach to decreasing the number of deaths associated with soft tissue cancers is through early detection and appropriate treatment and referral
most people visit a dental office or clinic at last once a year
when detected early, skin and oral cancers are more easily treated and cured
Skin Cancer
most common of all cancer types
two main types of Skin Cancer
Melanomas
more likely to spread to other parts of the body
accounts for over 60% of skin cancer deaths
almost always curable at its early stages
NonMelanomas
basal cell and squamous cell cancers
most common cancers of the skin
rarely spread elsewhere in the body
less likely to be fatal than melanomas
more than 1 million diagnoses of skin cancer per year in the U.S., with numbers steadily rising in the last 30 years
Oral and Pharyngeal Cancer
1 in 4 people affection with oral cancer will die
about one person per hour dies from oral cancer
oral cancer claims almost as many lives as melanoma cancer
Soft Tissue Lession
Definition: an area of abnormal-appearing skin or mucosa that does not resemble the soft tissue surrounding it
variations in color, texture, or form of an area of skin or mucosa
May be:
present at birth: a mole, or birthmark
associated with an infection: warts or acne
associated with an allergic reaction: such as hives
associated with an injury: blister from a burn or scar from a cut
Characteristics of Soft Tissue Lesions
Lesion Border Traits
Regular Border
Irregular Border
Lesion Margin Traits
Smooth Margin
Raised Margin
Lesion Color
red and white lesion
white lesion
yellow lesion
blue lesion
Detection Tools
Three primary tools for detection of soft tissue lesions on the head and neck or oral cavity
head and neck examinations
oral examinations
patient history
Medical history questionnaires should include questions that elicit information about tobacco and alcohol use as well as interest in smoking cessation programs
Common Lesion Configurations
discrete configurartion
lesions are individual lesions that are separate and distinct from one another
grouped configuration
lesions that are clustered together
Confluent configuration
lesions that have merged together so that individual lesions are not distinguishable
Linear Configuration
lesions that form a line
Basic Types of Soft Tissue Lesions
Flat Lesions
Macule
small, flat, discolored spot on the skin or mucosa that does not include a change in skin texture or thickness
Patch
flat, discolored spot on the skin or mucosa
Elevated Lesions
Papule
solid raised lesion that is usually less than 1 cm in diameter
Plaque
superficial raised lesion often formed by the coalescence (joining) of closely grouped papules
Nodule
a raised marble-like lesion detectable by touch, usually 1 cm or more in diameter
Wheal
a raised, somewhat irregular area of localized edema
Fluid Filled Lesions
Vesicle
small blister filled with fluid
Bulla
large blister filled with fluid
Pustule
small raised lesion filled with puss
Depressed Lesions
Ulcer
craterlike lesion of the skin or mucosa where the top two layers of the skin are lost
Deep Ulcer
depth that is more than 3 mm
Linear Cracks
Crack
linear break in the surface of the skin or mucosa
Fissure
linear crack in the top two layers of the skin or mucosa