[Relationship between the outcome and the frequency of micronuclei in cells of patients with oral and oropharyngeal carcinoma].
BACKGROUND
To verify the correlation between the micronucleus frequency and the presence of local recurrences or second primary lesion in patients with carcinoma of the oral cavity.


METHODS
We studied the frequency of micronucleus of the oral mucosa in 27 untreated patients with carcinoma of the oral cavity and oropharynx. The patients were monthly followed after initial treatment, in an attempt to identify local recurrences or second primary lesions.


RESULTS
Of the 24 patients evaluated during the whole time, 5 cases (20,8%) were alive and free of disease, and 19 cases died, 18 (75%) owing to cancer and 1 to perfurative peptic ulcer. In relation to micronucleus frequency, no difference was observed among the patients with local recurrence of the disease (N=14) and the patients who died of other causes or were alive and free of disease (N=10) (p = 0.83). There was higher micronucleus frequency in the stages T3 and T4 (p = 0.01).


CONCLUSIONS
In the present study was not possible to find a clinical correlation between the frequency of micronucleus of the oral mucosal and the risk of development of local recurrence or second primary tumor in patients with upper aerodigestive tract carcinoma.
de Carvalho
Marcos Brasilino
MB
Departamento de Medicina Legal, FMUSP, São Paulo - SP, Brasil. marcosbrasilino@heliopolis.org.br
Ramirez
Andrea
A
Gattás
Gilka Jorge F
GJ
Guedes
André Luz
AL
Amar
Ali
A
Rapoport
Abrão
A
Barauna Neto
José Carlos
JC
Curioni
Otávio Alberto
OA
D001938:Brazil / Q000453:epidemiology; D002277:Carcinoma / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology*; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D015162:Micronucleus Tests; D009062:Mouth Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology*; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology*; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D016609:Neoplasms, Second Primary / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology*; D009959:Oropharyngeal Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology*; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D015996:Survival Rate