A 42-year-old man presents with a 1 ´ 1 cm white patch on the lateral surface of his tongue. Based solely on this information, clinical differential diagnosis should include:

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A white patch on the tongue can be indicative of frictional hyperkeratosis, which is caused by chronic irritation or trauma to the area. Hairy leukoplakia is also a possibility, especially if the patient is immunocompromised, as it is commonly associated with HIV infection. Idiopathic leukoplakia, or a white patch with an unknown cause, should also be considered as a differential diagnosis. Therefore, all of the above options should be considered.

A 42-Year-Old Man Presents with a 1 ´ 1 Cm