title: [Value and limitations of oral exfoliative cytology in the diagnosis of malignancies].
abstract: The literature on oral exfoliative cytology in the diagnosis of malignant lesions is reviewed and the techniques most commonly employed for the removal of material, fixing, staining and observation are described, along with the usual diagnostic criteria. Evaluation of prior comparative cytological and histological assessments of the diagnostic reliability of the means is followed by an account of the difficulties encountered when comparing results so as to form a final opinion on its possible applications. It is felt that, while exfoliative cytology cannot take the place of biopsy in making a definite assessment of the nature of a lesion, the literature shows that it is widely applied in addition of clinical evaluation of oral lesions.
mesh_terms: D003581:Cytodiagnosis / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D009061:Mouth Mucosa / Q000473:pathology*; D013048:Specimen Handling; D013194:Staining and Labeling
vernacular_title: Significato e limiti della citologia esfoliativa orale nella diagnosi delle lesioni maligne