Evaluation of Diagnostic Value of Sediment Cytology in Oral Malignant and Oral Potentially Malignant Disorders

Abstract

Introduction: Globally, highest prevalence of oral cancer has been observed in Indian subcontinent due to exposure to carcinogens such as betel nut extracts, smoking and chewing form of tobacco. Usually, cancer develops through rising grades of oral epithelial dysplasia which can arise from Oral Potentially Malignant Disorders (OPMD) and lead to fatal invasive malignancy. Being rapid, simple, cheaper and easy, sediment cytology may provide early diagnostic value in such cases. Aim: To estimate the role of sediment cytology from biopsy specimen fixatives in early diagnosis of OPMDs and oral malignant lesions. Materials and Methods: Cytological smears from total 30 cases, 15 subjects had Oral Potentially Malignant Disorders and 15 subjects each of Oral Potentially Malignant Disorders and Oral Malignant lesions were prepared by centrifuging fixatives of the biopsy specimens from February 2015 to January 2016. Analyses of prepared cytological smears were done and obtained results were compared with histological diagnosis. Results: The study results revealed that, out of 15 oral malignant lesions, 12 lesions were properly diagnosed with one inconclusive result and only three out of 15 OPMDs were properly diagnosed, where as three cases were inconclusive. Thus, in case of sediment cytology, the overall diagnostic accuracy was 50% and specifically 80% in case of oral malignant lesions. Conclusion: The Biopsy sediment cytology procedure is rapid, simple and inexpensive and can be applied with possible benefit in any laboratory for preliminary diagnosis. Thus, it is a good compliment for histopathological study of oral biopsies.

Keywords

• biopsy
• formalin
• malignant lesions
• oral pre-malignant lesions
• oral squamous cell carcinoma