Dna Image Cytometry as A Promising Noninvasive Diagnostic Approach for Oral Potentially Malignant Disorders and Oral Cancer – An Overview

Abstract

The majority of oral cancers are oral squamous cell carcinomas that arise from potentially malignant lesions in the oral mucosa. Early detection of neoplastic changes will significantly increase the survival rate and improve patient quality of life. Chromosomal aberrations are one of the earliest neoplastic changes occurring in dysplastic oral mucosa. Current evidence indicates DNA aneuploidy to be an accepted biomarker of malignant transformation. DNA nuclear content measurement by image cytometry and its clinical relevance as a diagnostic tool has been explored in oral cancer detection. The combination of DNA ploidy and cytobrush techniques can offer non-invasive, economic, and early detection of carcinomas. However, substantiated evidence is required to establish the same, as large-scale population-based studies are lacking. This review describes DNA ploidy analysis by image cytometry, molecular aspects, principle, and methodology. A short note on studies evaluating the efficacy of DNA ploidy by brushings as a screening tool and the scope of DNA image cytometry as a predictive marker is mentioned along with limitations.