Cytometric analysis of oral scrapings of patients with oral lichen planus.
OBJECTIVE
Aneuploidy has been associated with malignant and premalignant oral lesions. In the past few years, its application in oral precancerous lesions and its prognostic meaning have been controversial issues. The aim of our study was to characterize alterations in DNA content by automated DNA image cytometry in oral scrapings of patients with oral lichen planus.


METHODS
Cytological samples from 40 patients clinicopathologically diagnosed with oral lichen planus were analysed by DNA image cytometry.


RESULTS
All the cases were classified as diploid, showing a predominant population of cells with normal DNA content (DNA index, 0.85-1.15). Atrophic/erosive lesions showed a higher percentage of tetraploid cells when compared with reticular/papular lesions but this was not statistically significant (P = 0.09).


CONCLUSIONS
Aneuploidy does not seem a common event in oral lichen planus lesions. However, we consider that the use of DNA image cytometry of oral scrapings may be an easy and helpful methodology in the follow-up of patients with these lesions.
Acha-Sagredo
A
A
Oral Medicine and Pathology Unit, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Basque Country UPV/EHU, Leioa, Spain.
Jiménez
Y
Y
Bagán
J V
JV
Echebarria-Goicouria
M A
MA
Aguirre-Urizar
J M
JM
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000782:Aneuploidy; D004247:DNA / Q000032:analysis*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D019044:Image Cytometry / Q000379:methods*; D017676:Lichen Planus, Oral / Q000473:pathology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged
D004247:DNA