TY - JOUR T1 - Paying more than lip service to lip lesions. JF - Canadian Family Physician JO - Can Fam Physician SP - 1111 LP - 1116 VL - 49 IS - 9 AU - Janna M Bentley AU - Benjamin Barankin AU - Gilles J Lauzon Y1 - 2003/09/01 UR - http://www.cfp.ca/content/49/9/1111.abstract N2 - OBJECTIVE To review the epidemiology, etiology, diagnosis, management, and prognosis of the most common, potentially lethal, lip lesions: leukoplakia, actinic cheilitis, and squamous cell carcinoma (SCC). QUALITY OF EVIDENCE MEDLINE: was searched from 1966 to 2002 for English-language articles on prevalence of lip lesions. No articles for a family physician audience were found. MEDLINE was searched again using the terms "leukoplakia," "actinic cheilitis," and "squamous cell carcinoma." Randomized, controlled trials were selected; non-blinded trials, population-based studies, and systematic reviews were also used. MAIN MESSAGE Leukoplakia, actinic cheilitis, and SCC of the lips are relatively common presentations that can cause substantial morbidity and, more rarely, mortality. Any abnormality of the lips can be an embarrassment. Because of the seriousness and frequency of lip disease, it is important to look for, diagnose, and treat lip lesions to prevent morbidity and mortality and also to maintain social acceptance and self-esteem. CONCLUSION Knowledge of leukoplakia, actinic cheilitis, and SCC of the lips will aid family physicians in diagnosing and managing these lesions and in preventing associated morbidity and mortality. ER -