Updates on Oral Potentially Malignant Disorders: From Pathogenesis to Treatment
A special issue of International Journal of Molecular Sciences (ISSN 1422-0067). This special issue belongs to the section "Molecular Pathology, Diagnostics, and Therapeutics".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 August 2026 | Viewed by 46
Special Issue Editor
Interests: oral potentially malignant disorders (OPMDs): leukoplakia, erythroplakia; oral lichen planus/lichenoid lesions; oral submucous fibrosis
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
We are pleased to invite you to contribute to our upcoming Special Issue, "Updates on Oral Potentially Malignant Disorders: From Pathogenesis to Treatment". OPMDs include precancerous lesions and conditions that are closely associated with the development of oral squamous cell carcinoma. These conditions include leukoplakia, erythroplakia, oral lichen planus, and oral submucous fibrosis. Early detection, risk stratification, and appropriate therapeutic intervention are crucial in this highly significant research and clinical field, as they profoundly influence patient prognosis. In recent years, diagnostic and treatment strategies for OPMDs have changed significantly and are evolving rapidly, driven by revisions to the WHO classification, advances in molecular biological markers and imaging diagnostics, and the introduction of minimally invasive treatments and novel local and systemic therapies. However, many challenges remain unresolved, including risk factor assessment, optimizing follow-up intervals, developing malignant transformation prediction models, and providing comprehensive care through multidisciplinary collaboration. There is a strong need to consolidate and organize the latest findings from clinical and research perspectives.
This Special Issue aims to provide a comprehensive update on the latest basic and clinical research findings and clinical insights regarding oral premalignant diseases. It covers topics ranging from elucidating pathogenesis to preventing, diagnosing, treating, and managing the prognosis of these diseases. This theme aligns closely with the journal's scope, which is "academic contributions concerning the elucidation of disease pathophysiology, improvement of diagnostic techniques, development of treatment strategies, and their clinical application in the oral field." This emphasizes a translational perspective that bridges basic and clinical research.
The Special Issue will have a consistent structure centered on the common theme of oral potentially malignant diseases (OPMDs). It will cover topics ranging from epidemiology and risk factor analysis to molecular pathology, diagnostic imaging, therapeutic development, long-term follow-up, and quality of life (QOL) assessment. We plan to publish at least 10 papers. If the required number is reached, we will consider publishing this special issue as a standalone book.
In this Special Issue, original research articles and reviews are welcome. Research areas may include (but are not limited to) the following:
- Epidemiology, risk factors (e.g., smoking, alcohol consumption, viruses, and lifestyle habits), and prevention strategies for OPMDs;
- Pathological and molecular biological characteristics, biomarkers, and mechanisms of malignant transformation in OPMDs;
- Diagnostic algorithms and risk stratification models for major OPMDs, such as leukoplakia, erythroplakia, and oral submucous fibrosis;
- Applications of diagnostic support using imaging (e.g., fluorescence observation, NBI, and magnifying endoscopy) and AI;
- The latest trends in local and systemic treatments, including surgical resection, laser therapy, photodynamic therapy, and drug therapy;
- Follow-up strategies, malignancy prediction, and management of recurrent/multiple lesions;
- Patient education, smoking cessation/alcohol reduction support, lifestyle interventions, and comprehensive care through multidisciplinary collaboration;
- Clinical trials, cohort studies, and real-world data analysis targeting OPMDs;
- Translational research:
- Preclinical and organoid models;
- Omics analysis of progression from OPMDs to oral cancer.
We look forward to receiving your contributions, including original scientific research articles, comprehensive reviews, communications, case reports, letters, commentaries, editorials, and more.
Prof. Dr. Takahiro Abe
Guest Editor
Manuscript Submission Information
Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.
Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. International Journal of Molecular Sciences is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.
Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. There is an Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal. For details about the APC please see here. Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.
Keywords
- oral potentially malignant disorders
- oral leukoplakia
- oral erythroplakia
- oral lichen planus/oral lichenoid lesions
- oral submucous fibrosis
- oral epithelial dysplasia
- malignant transformation risk
- biomarkers
- imaging/diagnostic support
- genomic or epigenomic factor
Benefits of Publishing in a Special Issue
- Ease of navigation: Grouping papers by topic helps scholars navigate broad scope journals more efficiently.
- Greater discoverability: Special Issues support the reach and impact of scientific research. Articles in Special Issues are more discoverable and cited more frequently.
- Expansion of research network: Special Issues facilitate connections among authors, fostering scientific collaborations.
- External promotion: Articles in Special Issues are often promoted through the journal's social media, increasing their visibility.
- Reprint: MDPI Books provides the opportunity to republish successful Special Issues in book format, both online and in print.
Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies can be found here.
