Oral lichen planus (OLP) is a chronic disease of uncertain cause commonly affecting the oral cavity. Although the WHO has designated OLP as a “potentially malignant disorder,” controversies exist regarding its malignant potential. Collagen forms the principal component of stroma or extracellular matrix and its role in carcinogenesis is widely studied in other premalignancies.
Although collagen at the basal complex of OLP is widely explored, studies on collagen in the connective tissue stroma have not been reported to date. We aimed to observe the nature of collagen in connective tissue stroma of OLP using picrosirius red stain (PSR) under a polarized microscope and compare with buccal mucosa without any pathology related to exposure to tobacco and other oral carcinogens, carcinoma in situ (Ca in situ), and early invasive squamous cell carcinoma (EISCC). Conclusion: The stromal collagen…
