Color of the lesion
Depending on the type of oral cancer, the lesion will have a different color. For example, papilloma is white, and pyogenic granuloma is a red or purple mass. Leukoplakia occurs as a white patch, while erythroplakia occurs as a reddish patch. Ulcers in carcinoma of the tongue are covered with yellow-gray transparent material. Kaposi sarcoma is reddish-purple. Melanoma is usually hyperpigmented, but there are some hypopigmented melanomas, too.