MINI REVIEW article
Front. Oral Health
Sec. Oral Cancers
This article is part of the Research TopicPrevention and Early Detection of Oral Cancers - Volume IIView all 4 articles
Diagnostic challenges and clinical management gaps in HPV-related oral lesions
Provisionally accepted
- Metropolitan Autonomous University, Mexico City, Mexico
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The oral mucosa, the gingiva, and the salivary glands are effective reservoirs for HPV. Although HPV-related oral lesions (HPV-OL) have been described since ancient times, their diagnosis and management remain challenging, particularly in people living with HIV. In the oral mucosa, HPV can establish productive or latent infections in basal epithelial cells following microabrasion, resulting in four HPV-OL: squamous papilloma, verruca vulgaris, condyloma acuminatum, and multifocal epithelial hyperplasia, each with characteristic clinical and histological features, though overlapping patterns often complicate diagnosis. While there is strong evidence indicating that HPV can be transmitted through routes other than sexual, misconceptions about sexual transmission and the potential for malignancy continue to persist. Regarding treatment, topical drugs initially designed for the skin or anogenital mucosa lack evidence of safety for the oral mucosa; thus, conservative surgical excision remains the main option. HPV vaccination may contribute to reducing both low-and high-risk HPV infections, with potential impact on related diseases.
Keywords: Human papillomavirus, Koilocytosis, oral cancer, Oral lesions, Sexually Transmitted Diseases
Received: 04 Dec 2025; Accepted: 15 Dec 2025.
Copyright: © 2025 Anaya-Saavedra, Vázquez-Garduño and Castillejos-García. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
* Correspondence: Gabriela Anaya-Saavedra
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