title: Cytomorphometric analysis of crack cocaine effects on the oral mucosa.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study assessed the effect of smoking crack cocaine on the nuclear area (NA), the cytoplasmic area (CA), and the nucleus-to-cytoplasm area ratio (NA/CA) of oral squamous epithelial cells.
  
  
  METHODS
  Oral smears were collected from clinically normal-appearing mucosa by liquid-based exfoliative cytology of 40 individuals (20 crack users and 20 nonusers) and analyzed for quantitative techniques using an image analysis system.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Mean values of NA for experimental and control groups were, respectively, 49.85 microm(2) and 62.68 microm(2) (P < .01). CA showed the following mean values: 1820.9 microm(2) (experimental) and 1780.8 microm(2) (control). NA/CA for the experimental group was 0.03; the control group was 0.04 (P < .01).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study revealed that crack cocaine was able to induce significant changes on the oral epithelial cells. Since this illicit drug is normally used in association with other risk factors for oral cancer (tobacco and alcohol), crack cocaine abusers should have frequent preventive oral exams.
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral Pathology, School of Dentistry, Pontifical Catholic University of Paraná, Curitiba/PR, Brazil.
authors.forename: Iverson Ernani Cogo
authors.initials: IE
authors.lastname: Woyceichoski
authors.forename: Elcy Pinto
authors.initials: EP
authors.lastname: de Arruda
authors.forename: Luciane Grochocki
authors.initials: LG
authors.lastname: Resende
authors.forename: Maria Angela Naval
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Machado
authors.forename: Ana Maria Trindade
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Grégio
authors.forename: Luciana Reis
authors.initials: LR
authors.lastname: Azevedo
authors.forename: Antonio Adilson Soares
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: de Lima
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002467:Cell Nucleus / Q000187:drug effects; D048429:Cell Size / Q000187:drug effects; D002471:Cell Transformation, Neoplastic; D019970:Cocaine-Related Disorders / Q000473:pathology; D016578:Crack Cocaine / Q000009:adverse effects*; D003593:Cytoplasm / Q000187:drug effects; D004847:Epithelial Cells / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009061:Mouth Mucosa / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects*
chemical_list: D016578:Crack Cocaine