At a workshop coordinated by the WHO Collaborating Centre for Oral Cancer and Precancer in the UK issues related to terminology, definitions and classification of oral precancer were discussed by an expert group. The consensus views of the Working Group are presented here. The term, ‘potentially malignant disorders’, was recommended to refer to precancer as it conveys that not all disorders described under this term may transform into cancer. Critically evaluating all definitions proposed so far for oral leukoplakia, the Working Group agreed that the term leukoplakia should be used to recognize ‘white plaques of questionable risk having excluded (other) known diseases or disorders that carry no increased risk for cancer’. An outline was proposed for diagnosing oral leukoplakia that will prevent other oral white disorders being misclassified as leukoplakia. The Working Group discussed the caveats involved in the current use of terminology and classification of oral potentially malignant disorders, deficiencies of these complex systems, and how they have evolved over the past several decades. The terminology presented in this report reflects our best understanding of multi‐step carcinogenesis in the oral mucosa, and aspires to engender consistency in use.

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Based on the findings of the present study, there appears to be a lack of clinicopathologic correlation in the diagnostic assessment of OLP. We therefore propose a set of revised diagnostic criteria of OLP and oral lichenoid lesions, based on the WHO definition of OLP, including clinical as well as histopathologic aspects.

To estimate the accuracy of different radiologic criteria used to detect cervical lymph node metastasis in patients with head and neck carcinoma, seven different characteristics of 2,719 lymph nodes in 71 neck dissection specimens from 55 patients were assessed. Three lymph node diameters, their location, their number, the presence of a tumor, and the amount of necrosis and fatty metaplasia were recorded. The minimal diameter in the axial plane was found to be the most accurate size criterion for predicting lymph node metastasis. A minimal axial diameter of 10 mm was determined to be the most effective size criterion. The size criterion for lymph nodes in the subdigastric region was 1 mm larger (11 mm). Groups of three or more borderline nodes were proved to increase the sensitivity but did not significantly decrease the specificity. Radiologically detectable necrosis (3 mm or larger) was found only in tumorous nodes and was present in 74% of the positive neck dissection specimens. Shape was not a valuable criterion for the radiologic assessment of the cervical lymph node status.

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