title: Apoptotic count as a guide for histological grading of carcinoma esophagus: a light microscopic study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Many studies have been done in the past on the correlation between apoptotic count and histological grading of different tumors.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The study aims to find out if a correlation between apoptotic count and histological grading exists in squamous cell carcinoma of the esophagus, and also to review the literature on such a relationship in the context of some other tumors.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cases of squamous cell carcinoma of the esophagus who presented at a tertiary care center over a period of one year were reviewed.
  
  
  METHODS
  The endoscopic biopsy specimens of 56 patients of squamous cell carcinoma of esophagus were fixed in 10% buffered formalin, processed for routine paraffin sections, sections taken, stained by hematoxylin and eosin and examined under light microscope, using 40× objective and 10× eyepiece. Apoptotic bodies were counted in each high-power field (HPF).
  
  
  METHODS
  Standard error of difference in apoptotic count in different tumor groups found and P value calculated, using Student's t test.
  
  
  RESULTS
  An inverse correlation of the apoptotic count per HPF with the histological grade of the tumor was found.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Grading of squamous cell carcinoma of esophagus, solely on the basis of apoptotic count can be used in the first place or to corroborate conventional histological grading done on the basis of morphology.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Kasturba Hospital, Daryaganj, Delhi, India.
authors.forename: Ankit
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Seth
authors.forename: Asha
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Agarwal