title: Chromosomal aberrations and aneuploidy in oral potentially malignant lesions: distinctive features for tongue.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The mucosae of the oral cavity are different at the histological level but appear all equally exposed to common genotoxic agents. As a result of this exposure, changes in the mucosal epithelia may develop giving rise to Oral Potentially Malignant Lesions (OPMLs), which with time may in turn progress to Oral Squamous Cell Carcinomas (OSCCs). Therefore, much effort should be devoted to identify features able to predict the likeliness of progression associated with an OPML. Such features may be helpful in assisting the clinician to establish both appropriate therapies and follow-up schedules. Here, we report a pilot study that compared the occurrence of DNA aneuploidy and chromosomal copy number aberrations (CNAs) in the OPMLs from different oral anatomical subsites.
  
  
  METHODS
  Samples from histologically diagnosed OPMLs were processed for high resolution DNA flow cytometry (hr DNA-FCM) in order to determine the relative DNA content expressed by the DNA index (DI). Additionally, array-Comparative Genomic Hybridization (a-CGH) analysis was performed on DNA obtained from diploid nuclei suspensions directly. When aneuploid nuclei were detected, these were physically separated from diploid nuclei on the base of their DI values by means of a DNA-FCM-Sorter in order to improve the a-CGH analysis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Tongue OPMLs were more frequently associated with DNA aneuploidy and CNAs than OPMLs arising from all the other mucosal subsites.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We suggest that the follow-up and the management of the patients with tongue OPMLs should receive a distinctive special attention. Clearly, this hypothesis should be validated in a prospective clinical study.
authors: Department of Diagnostic Oncology, Translational Oncopathology, National Institute for Cancer Research, Genoa, Italy.
authors: Patrizio
authors: P
authors: Castagnola
authors: Davide
authors: D
authors: Malacarne
authors: Paola
authors: P
authors: Scaruffi
authors: Massimo
authors: M
authors: Maffei
authors: Alessandra
authors: A
authors: Donadini
authors: Emanuela
authors: E
authors: Di Nallo
authors: Simona
authors: S
authors: Coco
authors: Gian Paolo
authors: GP
authors: Tonini
authors: Monica
authors: M
authors: Pentenero
authors: Sergio
authors: S
authors: Gandolfo
authors: Walter
authors: W
authors: Giaretti
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000782:Aneuploidy; D002869:Chromosome Aberrations; D004273:DNA, Neoplasm / Q000235:genetics; D005260:Female; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011230:Precancerous Conditions / Q000235:genetics*; D014062:Tongue Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics*; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D004273:DNA, Neoplasm