Accuracy of Exfoliated Cytology in Detection of Oral Premalignant and Malignant Lesions

The study will be held at the Faculty of Dentistry Cairo University and the NCI All the participants will be administrated a standardized questionnaire to obtain demographic data, medical records and any history of relevant risk factors. The detailed clinical examination will be performed on each patient to assess the site, size, and the clinical characteristics of the lesion as well as the extent of local infiltration (if any) and cervical lymph node metastases (if any).

The entire procedure will be explained to the patients and an informed consent will be obtained. The participants were asked to rinse their mouth thoroughly with tap water 2-3 times immediately before the sampling procedure to reduce the oral bacterial load. Pre-moistened separate wooden spatula was used to scrape the oral buccal mucosa cells (right and left buccal mucosal cells). The cells were then smeared over clean, coded glass slides. The slides were then air dried and fixed in fixative for 20 minutes and stained. Afterwards the glass slide was rinsed with aqua dest and dried in the air. The slides will be prepared for microscopic analysis The criteria parameters for identifying micronucleus:

• Rounded smooth perimeter suggestive of a membrane.
• Less than one-third the diameter of the associated nucleus, but large enough to discern shape and color.
• Staining intensity similar to the nucleus.
• Texture similar to the nucleus.
• Same focal plane as the nucleus.
• Absence of overlap with or bridge to the nucleus.

Dead or degenerating cells (karyolysis, karyorrhexis, nuclear fragmentation) were excluded from the evaluation. Incisional or excisional biopsy will be obtained from subjects diagnosed with premalignant lesions and histo-pathological examination will be performed as an additional supportive test .