title: Immunohistochemical evaluation of mast cells and vascular endothelial proliferation in oral precancerous lesion-leukoplakia.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Oral leukoplakia is the best-known precursor lesion. Although a morphologic feature of oral epithelial dysplasia is well described, less is known about the pathobiologic changes within the cells and over the cell surfaces for malignant transformation.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The present study is aimed at comparing and correlating the mast cell density (MCD) and micro vascular density (MVD) in Normal Mucosa (NM) and different grades of dysplasia and to analyze their role in disease progression.
  
  
  METHODS
  MCD was assessed using anti mast cell tryptase and MVD was assessed immunohistochemically using anti-Factor VIII related von Willibrand factor.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The Results of the present study showed an exponential increase in microvessel density as mast cell density increased.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The role of mast cells in angiogenesis as it progresses from normal mucosa to dysplasia is in concordance with the study. The number of mast cells and microvessel can be used as indictors of disease progression.
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Pathology, SRM, Kattankulathur Dental College, Tamil Nadu, India.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sathyakumar
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Sriram
authors.forename: Tr
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Saraswathi
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Sivapathasundharam