White Sponge Nevus (of Cannon)

Quick Review for Patients

Introduction

Note: click on underlined words for more detail or photos.

Initially described by Cannon in 1935, white sponge nevus is a rare developmental anomaly inherited as an autosomal dominant trait with variable expressivity and a high degree of penetrance. Sometimes called the nevus of Cannon, this keratotic mucosal alteration may be seen on vaginal and rectal mucosa but the great majority of cases involve oral mucosa. The underlying pathophysiology responsible for the altered epithelial cells is unclear, but a mutation in the mucosal keratin K4 has been identified.

Oral changes in hereditary benign intraepithelial dyskeratosis (HBID) or Witkop's disease are identical to those of white sponge nevus, but the former disease shows unique microscopic cells and clinically evident ocular changes. Clinically similar white macules or plaques may also be seen in the mouths of persons with pachyonychia congenita and dyskeratosis congenita.

Clinical Features

White sponge nevus almost always presents during childhood and there is no gender predilection. Typically, bilateral white keratotic macules and plaques are found on the buccal mucosae, but labial, lingual and other sites may be involved. Individual lesions are seen as a relatively thick, white, often corrugated plaque which may cover most of the buccal mucosa (Figures 1 & 2). Usually asymptomatic, rare examples of mild discomfort has been reported from secondary infection.

Occasional lesions are less thickened and reveal a "watery" or semitransparent appearance. Lesions are usually well demarcated from the surrounding normal mucosa, as opposed to the poor demarcation of leukoedema and smokeless tobacco keratosis. The plaques do not change significantly when the cheeks are stretched and, rarely, the plaques are small, multiple and scattered about the affected mucosa rather than being a single more diffuse keratosis.

Pathology and Differential Diagnosis

The hallmark microscopic feature of this disease is an extensive and often marked intracellular edema of the superficial epithelial cells, predominantly within the spinous layer (Figures 3 & 4). The nuclei are typically pyknotic and the cells may mimic the koilocytes of viral infections. Edematous cells may be organized into inverted triangles with broad bases along the surface, and there may be a thickened parakeratin layer. Deep indentations or groves may be seen to extend from the surface almost to the basal layer, but the lower portions of the epithelium are otherwise not involved. There are few mitotic figures and there is never evidence of dysplasia. In cytological smears occasional cells will have condensed eosinophilic cytoplasm immediately surrounding the nucleus.

Intracellular edema is not pathognomonic for white sponge nevus. Leukoedema is another developmental phenomenon with childhood onset and abundant superficial epithelial cells with edema. It typically lacks the parakeratosis and vertical groves of white sponge nevus, but there are times when the only viable means of distinguishing between the two is to stretch the affected mucosa; leukoedema tends to diminish or disappear when this is done, while no change is seen in white sponge nevus or other look-alike lesions.

Frictional keratosis, especially chronic cheek bite keratosis, may also present with intracellular edema of superficial epithelial cells, but there is usually extensive surface keratosis, vertical infolding is absent, and only occasional nuclei are pyknotic. Scattered chronic inflammatory cells are usually found within the subepithelial stroma.

Smokeless tobacco keratosis may demonstrate pronounced intracellular edema of superficial cells, sometimes extending to the parabasal region. It is also characterized by surface parakeratosis and occasional grooves or corrugations. This keratotic lesion may, therefore, exactly mimic the histopathology of white sponge nevus and may require clinical correlation for proper diagnosis. The smokeless tobacco lesion is white and corrugated, but its onset is associated with the smokeless tobacco habit and it is typically found in the mandibular vestibule, where the tobacco is habitually placed. Such lesions are, moreover, very seldom bilateral and they will usually disappear after cessation of the tobacco habit. It is important to differentiate these two entities because smokeless tobacco keratosis is a low-grade precancer and requires follow-up examinations.

Another oral precancer, leukoplakia, is easily distinguished from white sponge nevus by its adult onset and its usual lack of intracellular edema. Leukoplakia is essentially a phenomenon of excess keratosis of the surface with acanthosis of the spinous layer and with occasional dysplasia of basal cells (see leukoplakia section elsewhere in this text).

The final disease which may mimic the oral white macules of white sponge nevus is Witkop's disease or hereditary benign intraepithelial dyskeratosis (HBID). The histopathology is identical to white sponge nevus except that scattered spinous cells demonstrate premature keratinization and loss or pyknosis of nuclei. This change is often seen as streaks of dyskeratotic cells. It is important for the pathologist to recognize this unique feature because persons affected by the autosomal dominant Witkop's disease may develop gelatinous plaques of the bulbar conjunctiva which may eventuate in blindness.

Treatment and Prognosis

White sponge nevus remains essentially unchanged after the first few months of onset. The occasional mildly symptomatic case may respond to topical applications of tetracycline. There is no malignant potential and it does not interfere with normal masticatory functions, and so no treatment is required except for the rare example of a plaque which extends onto the lip vermilion and is surgically removed for aesthetic reasons.

References (Chronologic Order)

Note: For general references click on link to the left.

Specific references:

Rugg EL, et al. A mutation in the mucosal keratin K4 is associated with oral white sponge nevus. Nat Genet 1995; 11:450-452.

Pictures

Note: To see enlarged photo, click on the left-hand picture; 
return here with your BACK ARROW button.