Comparative study of frequency of micronuclei in normal, potentially malignant diseases and oral squamous cell carcinoma

What is it about?

Micronuclei (MN) in oral exfoliated cells is a marker of chromosomal damage caused through genotoxic agents from tobacco and tobacco-related substances, alcohol, etc. The MN assay has been used to evaluate the genotoxic damage in OSCC and oral premalignancies. The present study showed that the significant increase in MN frequency in smokeless tobacco users as compared to smoking tobacco users. The mean MN frequency in oral exfoliated cells was significantly elevated in malignant and potentially malignant group as compared to the control group with different grades of OSCC. Thus, from the present study it is evident that the MN frequency is elevated in increasing grades of the tumor, suggesting a strong cytogenetic damage of oral epithelium.

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Why is it important?

There was stepwise increase found in the percentage of micronucleated cells and MN from control to precancer patients, and from precancer to cancer patients. Also the frequency of MN increased significantly from Grade I to Grade II to Grade III, respectively, in SCC group. Hence, as a biomarker of genomic damage, MN has been proved to be an important upcoming marker of tumorogenesis suggesting a link with neoplastic progression. Hence, the usefulness of MN assay as a screening and early detection technique for cancer susceptibility has been suggested.

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