Evaluation of cytomorphometric changes in tobacco users and diagnosed oral squamous cell carcinoma individuals

Abstract

Aims:To determine the cellular and nuclear area of keratinocytes in smears obtained from the oral mucosa of tobacco users, those with oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC), and from normal healthy persons and resolve if any significant difference exists in these three groups.Materials and Methods:The study group comprised 100 subjects 20 controls, (40 OSCC patients-20 from lesional sites and 20 from nonlesional sites, 20 tobacco smokers and 20 tobacco chewers) in the age group of 25-75 years. Oral mucosal smears obtained by using a cytobrush were stained with Papanicolaou (PAP) stain and using 20X objective in trinocular Olympus model BX53 with Jenoptik scientific grade-dedicated microphotographic camera images were taken. With ProgRes version 8.0 image analysis software, 20 cells with defined borders were evaluated from each slide. Finally, one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used to compare the above parameters in the studied groups.Statistical Analysis Used:Minitab and Excel software were used to analyze the data. One-way ANOVA was used to compare the above parameters in the studied groups.Results:The mean value of the cell area for groups I, II, III, IV, and V were 2838 ± 275.2, 2762.1 ± 511.4, 2861.9 ± 512.9, 2643.8 ± 333.3, and 3064.3 ± 362.7, respectively, the nuclear area (NA) was 83.88 ± 9.86, 106.19 ± 13.45, 95.11 ± 14.24, 85.55 ± 21.11, and 80.83 ± 13.45, respectively, and nuclear-to-cellular (N:C) ratio was 0.0297, 0.03924, 0.0337, 0.03257, and 0.02678, respectively.Conclusions:Thus, our study elucidates that cytomorphology gauges the effect of tobacco on the oral mucosa and possibly establishes a link between premalignant and malignant transformations even before a lesion is visibly noted.

Cytological and cytomorphometric characteristics of buccal mucosa cells from smokeless tobacco users

“…The numbers of Bacillus and L. buccalis were significantly higher in ST users in this study. Our work and that of Udayashankar et al 21 and Ogden et al 42 are consistent with these findings. 28 Other effects of ST include gingival bleeding, gingival recession, tooth discoloration, gingivitis, and tooth eruption and decay.…”

“…The ND was slightly higher in the ST group than in the control group, in agreement with the work of Udayashankar et al 21 and Ramesh et al 38 This may have been due to exposure of the oral mucosa to a high concentration of carcinogens, such as reduced pyridine alkaloids, areca-derived nitrosamines, and N-nitrosamines. The ND was slightly higher in the ST group than in the control group, in agreement with the work of Udayashankar et al 21 and Ramesh et al 38 This may have been due to exposure of the oral mucosa to a high concentration of carcinogens, such as reduced pyridine alkaloids, areca-derived nitrosamines, and N-nitrosamines.…”

“…21 MP, known locally as "crazy tobacco," is also called Hasankeyf, Turkish, Aztec, or East-Indian tobacco. 21 MP, known locally as "crazy tobacco," is also called Hasankeyf, Turkish, Aztec, or East-Indian tobacco.…”

“…Approximately 30-40% of malignant neoplasms in the oral cavity are OSCC, which tend to exhibit early metastasis and a high rate of regional recurrence and are linked to exposure to tobacco. 21 MP, known locally as "crazy tobacco," is also called Hasankeyf, Turkish, Aztec, or East-Indian tobacco. Most ST products contain hazardous substances, such as nicotine, cadmium, and nitrosamines.…”

“…36 Although later on, despite conduction of many studies on this subject, and knowing that alterations in epithelial cells are indicators of dysplastic or neoplastic changes, exfoliative cytology has been always the subject matter of debates concerning the determination of premalignant, and malign lesions. 21,37 Therefore, cytomorphometric analysis may be more acceptable method because of the reliability of measurable values.…”