title: Late oral mucosa alterations after radiotherapy for head and neck cancer assessed by exfoliative cytology.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Late oral mucosa changes after radiotherapy for head and neck cancer have been poorly studied. This study aimed to determine long-term effects of radiotherapy on oral mucosa using exfoliative oral cytology.
  
  
  METHODS
  Fifty patients with cancer were enrolled, five of whom in order to validate microscopic analysis. Smears were collected at programmed visit; a score was used to rank possible cytological alterations. Presence of inflammation was also microscopically described and compared to blood count tests.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Epithelial cells revealed a peculiar 'folding' phenotype, not related to chemotherapy, total dose, or to the effective dose delivered to mucosa. Inflammation described was related to the score for 'folding' cells; moreover, score decreased in the presence of a higher lymphocyte count, while it was not altered by neutrophil count.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We suggest application of exfoliative cytology to study radiation injury and the variability of individual response of oral mucosa to radiation.
authors: Department of Radiation Oncology, IRCCS Policlinico San Matteo Foundation, Viale Golgi 19, I-27100 Pavia, Italy. patriziamassaro@hotmail.it.
authors: Patrizia
authors: P
authors: Massaro
authors: Franco
authors: F
authors: Corbella
authors: Riccardo
authors: R
authors: DI Liberto
authors: Alessandro
authors: A
authors: Paolini
authors: Francesca
authors: F
authors: Pasi
authors: Carmine
authors: C
authors: Tinelli
authors: Annalisa
authors: A
authors: DE Silvestri
authors: Rosanna
authors: R
authors: Nano
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003581:Cytodiagnosis / Q000379:methods; D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology*; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D009061:Mouth Mucosa / Q000473:pathology* / Q000528:radiation effects*; D011877:Radionuclide Imaging; D013194:Staining and Labeling / Q000379:methods
keywords: Radiotherapy; exfoliative cytology; head and neck cancer; normal tissue toxicity