In OLP, aberrant immunohistochemical staining for both E‐cadherin and p16ink4a have been reported (Ebrahimi et al., 2008; Lee et al., 2016; Montebugnoli et al., 2011; Sridevi et al., 2015); however, the mechanisms involved in these phenomena remain unknown. This evidence concerns the gene CDKN2A and oral lichen planus.