Aims and Objectives: Tumors are distinguished from normal tissues by their pronounced variability of cellular and nuclear dimensions. Therefore the quantitative parameters such as cytoplasmic diameter, nuclear diameter and cytoplasmic to nuclear ratio in the exfoliated cells may be an indicator to assess whether the cells are malignant or not. Exfoliative cytology is a simple and non-invasive diagnostic technique that could be used for early detection of oral premalignant and malignant lesions.
The aim of this study was to evaluate the quantitative changes in nuclear diameter (ND), cytoplasmic diameter (CD) and nuclear/cytoplasmic ratio (N/C) in the cytological smears of premalignant and malignant lesions by comparing with the cytological smears of normal healthy individuals.
Materials and Methods: Oral exfoliated cells from 10 cases of each histologically proven Oral Leukoplakia, Oral Submucous fibrosis and Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma and ten controls with healthy mucosa were taken and stained with H&E stain were evaluated for cytoplasmic diameters, nuclear diameters and nuclear/cytoplasmic ratios (N/C) using Image J analysis system. The data were evaluated using statistical methods, namely‘t’ test and analysis of variance.
Results: The result showed that there was a significant increase in the cell diameter, nuclear diameter and nuclear to cytoplasmic ratio of all the study groups when compared to the control group.
Conclusion: Oral exfoliative cytological techniques could possibly be a noninvasive alternative diagnostic tool for diagnosing oral premalignant and malignant lesions.
Impact Factor
2022: 6.012
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