title: Bioimpedance Detection of Oral Lichen Planus Used as Preneoplastic Model.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Bioimpedance is a measure of the electrical properties of biological tissues. In the last two decades bioimpedance has been successfully introduced in clinical diagnosis of cancer. It has been demonstrated that tumoral tissues often show lower bioimpedance values than healthy tissues. The aim of this work is to assess the bioimpedentiometric differences between healthy and Oral Lichen Planus (OLP) affected oral mucosa, taking attention to the erosive form which may represent a potential pre-cancerous condition.
  
  
  METHODS
  52 patients affected by OLP were recruited for bioimpedance examination of oral mucosa. Four electrical properties, resistance (R), reactance (Xc), phase angle (θ) and impedance (Z) of the tongue and of the intraoral mucosa, were measured.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We observed a significant increase of Z and a significant decrease of θ values in correspondence of OLP lesions compared to healthy oral mucosa, and a marked decrease of Z values in correspondence of erosive OLP lesions.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These results provide evidence of the usefulness of bioimpedance assay for the characterization of healthy and clinically OLP affected mucosa. Bioimpedance is a valid aid in the early detection and clinical monitoring of the suspicious lesions which could lead to a potentially malignant evolution. The present research article is a valuable addition to the scientific literature of cancer prevention, and our findings can be considered extremely encouraging as they represent the initial step for a more wide clinical study for better define the different cut-off values in the different precancerous conditions occurring in the oral mucosa.
authors.affiliation: Unit of Maxillofacial Surgery, Calabrodental, Crotone, Italy ; 2. Tecnologica Research Institute, Biomedical Section, Crotone, Italy.
authors.forename: Marco
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tatullo
authors.affiliation: Unit of Maxillofacial Surgery, Calabrodental, Crotone, Italy ; 2. Tecnologica Research Institute, Biomedical Section, Crotone, Italy ; 3. Marrelli Hospital, Cancer Surgery Unit, Crotone, Italy.
authors.forename: Massimo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Marrelli
authors.affiliation: Unit of Maxillofacial Surgery, Calabrodental, Crotone, Italy ; 3. Marrelli Hospital, Cancer Surgery Unit, Crotone, Italy.
authors.forename: Massimiliano
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Amantea
authors.affiliation: 2. Tecnologica Research Institute, Biomedical Section, Crotone, Italy.
authors.forename: Francesco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Paduano
authors.affiliation: 4. Dept. JSGEM, University of Bari - Section of Taranto, Italy.
authors.forename: Luigi
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Santacroce
authors.affiliation: 2. Tecnologica Research Institute, Biomedical Section, Crotone, Italy ; 3. Marrelli Hospital, Cancer Surgery Unit, Crotone, Italy.
authors.forename: Stefano
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Gentile
authors.affiliation: 5. Dept. of Basic Medical Sciences, Neurosciences and Sense Organs, University of Bari, Italy.
authors.forename: Salvatore
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Scacco
keywords: Cancer Prevention; Early Diagnosis; Oral Cancer; Oral Pathology