Cytogenetic biomonitoring in oral leukoplakia patients with mild dysplasia.

OBJECTIVE: A study is made of DNA damage and apoptosis in a group of patients with oral leukoplakia (OL) with mild dysplasia. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study comprised 30 patients with a clinicopathological diagnosis of OL with mild dysplasia and 30 controls. Both samples were similar in terms of age and gender distribution. Brush samples of lesion epithelial cells were collected, followed by cell centrifugation, preparation of the slides, fixation and staining, and analysis under the fluorescent light microscope. The exfoliated cells were examined to detect micronuclei (MN), nuclear buds, binucleated cells, condensed chromatin, pyknosis, and cells with karyorrhexis and karyolysis. RESULTS: The patients with OL with mild dysplasia showed a greater frequency of MN (P < 0.001), nuclear buds (P = 0.018), and binucleated cells (P = 0.008). CONCLUSIONS: Cytogenetic biomonitoring is a simple and scantly invasive technique allowing clinicians to assess DNA damage and apoptosis in patients with OL. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Oral cancer should be detected and controlled in its precancerous stages in order to increase survival rates. Leukoplakia lesions must be biomonitorized periodically. Biomonitorization offers sensibility, no morbidity, speed, and low cost.