Micronuclei in Exfoliated Oral Epithelial Cells in Tobacco Users and Controls with Various Oral Lesions: A Study from Gujarat, India

To assess and compare cytogenic damage in the form of micronuclei in various oral lesions according to duration and frequency of tobacco use. The present cross sectional study was carried out from October 2015 to October 2016. We included total 420 cases with 60 cases in each of the following subgroups, no tobacco habit with no obvious oral lesion (control) and tobacco habit with no obvious oral lesion, oral sub mucous fibrosis, leukoplakia, melanoplakia, erythroplakia, oral squamous cell carcinoma. Oral mucosal cells were collected from both sides of cheek; slides were prepared and examined for cells with micronuclei. The mean micronuclei index distribution in control group, potentially malignant group, and malignancy group was 1.14, 2.63, and 4.88 respectively and was statistically significant. The mean micronuclei index in control group, smoking tobacco and smokeless tobacco group was 1.14, 2.64, and 2.76 and was statistically significant. The mean micronuclei index was significantly higher in those using tobacco, for longer duration and with frequent tobacco use. The mean micronuclei index can be used as a potential screening tool of genotoxic damage and biomarker for epithelial carcinogenesis. The method has practical utility for warning tobacco users that higher than range has a danger of malignant event and therefore this in future can be used as reinforcement to advice of avoiding tobacco before malignancy develops.