Oral Pathology as part of the Head and Neck Pathology is an interdisciplinary field of science. The oral mucosa and the saliva are reflectors of many systemic diseases of the organism and therefore valuable parameters of the diagnosis and prognosis of pathological processes. In the last years many new methods have been integrated in the diagnostic repertoire. Proliferation markers are of predicitive value and characterize the biological behavior of a tumor. Markers are such as oncogenes, growth factor receptors or genetic aberrations. The importance of these new markers shall be discussed concerning the different types of oral cancers and salivary gland tumours.

This book differs from others in the Histological Typing series by including more clinical aspects and by concentrating on cancer and precancer of the oral mucosa rather than attempting to cover all benign and malignant tumors of the oral and oropharyngeal tissue. One main aim is to inform general pathologists of the significance of the clinical features of the various lesions discussed as, on the whole, they may be unfamiliar with this territory. Attention is also drawn to those conditions particular to the oral mucosa that may give rise to appearances which are important in differential diagnoses but can be misleading to the pathologist who does not have detailed knowledge of the tissue involved. The TNM-classification for malignant tumors of the lip and oral cavity is also included.