Cryogun cryotherapy for oral leukoplakia.

BACKGROUND Our previous study showed that cotton-swab cryotherapy is an alternative treatment modality for oral leukoplakia. METHODS This study used liquid nitrogen spray with a cryogun (cryogun cryotherapy) to treat 60 oral leukoplakia lesions. RESULTS Complete regression was achieved in all 60 oral leukoplakia lesions after cryogun cryotherapy. We found that 60 oral leukoplakia lesions treated with cryogen cryotherapy needed significantly fewer mean treatments (3.1 ± 1.3) to achieve complete regression than 60 previously reported oral leukoplakia lesions treated with cotton-swab cryotherapy (mean, 6.3 ± 3.8 treatments). Oral leukoplakia lesions on oral mucosal sites other than the tongue, <2 cm(2) , with epithelial dysplasia, or with a surface keratin thickness <55 μm required significantly fewer cryogun cryotherapy treatments to achieve complete regression. CONCLUSIONS For treatment of oral leukoplakia, the cryogun cryotherapy needed fewer mean treatments to achieve complete regression of the lesions than the cotton-swab cryotherapy.