Clinical Research Directory

The Importance of Mucosal Screening in the Prevention of Oral Cancer.

Patients attending the Department of Oral Mucosal and Periodontal Diseases at the University Dental Center of the Medical University of Warsaw who provide written informed consent will be invited to participate in the study. Participation will begin with completing a short, anonymous questionnaire. The questions will focus on factors that may increase the risk of developing oral potentially malignant disorders and oral cancer, such as tobacco use, alcohol consumption, dietary habits, chronic diseases, and other health-related information. Next, a comprehensive oral examination will be performed by a qualified dental hygienist according to a standardized examination protocol. The examination will include assessment of the lips, cheeks, gums, hard and soft palate, tongue, floor of the mouth, and throat. The oral mucosa will be evaluated for its appearance, colour, moisture, and the presence of any abnormalities, such as white or red patches, ulcers, erosions, nodules, or other lesions. A palpation examination of selected lymph nodes in the head and neck region will also be performed. During the visit, oral hygiene will be assessed using an oral hygiene index. The condition of the teeth and any prosthetic restorations will also be evaluated to identify areas where dental plaque may accumulate or where chronic irritation of the oral mucosa may occur. The final stage of the examination will involve assessment of the oral mucosa using the Oralitest fluorescence device. This is a painless, non-invasive procedure that uses light of a specific wavelength to examine the oral mucosa. The examination takes only a few minutes, requires no special preparation, and the device does not come into direct contact with the oral tissues. Healthy oral mucosa emits a characteristic green fluorescence, whereas areas that may require further investigation appear as darker regions. The result of the fluorescence examination is available immediately after the procedure.

Topical Imiquimod Treatment of Oral Dysplasia

The goal of this clinical trial is to determine the effectiveness of imiquimod in treating oral dysplasia in adult patients. Imiquimod 5% cream could be a safe and practical treatment for oral epithelial dysplasia (a precancerous change in the mouth). The main questions it aims to answer are: 1. Does imiquimod help to make the lesions smaller and make the abnormal cell changes less severe? 2. How can we make this treatment safer and more feasible? Participants will apply topical imiquimod cream to treat the oral dysplasia and receive two follow-up biopsies after the treatment.