Volume 25, Issue 109, March, 2021

The combined use of AgNORs and oral mucosal keratinization for early prediction of cytological atypia associated with the use of smokeless tobacco

Hussain Gadelkarim Ahmed^1,2♦, Amel B El Hag¹, Naif K Binsaleh³, Gamal Eldin Mohamed O Elhussein¹, Rania Abdeen Hussain Abdalla¹, Malik Asif Hussain¹, Mohamed Ahmed Babikir I Bealy¹, Emad Abboh A Abboh¹, Hisham Sherfi⁴

¹Pathology Department, College of Medicine, University of Ha'il, Ha'il, Saudi Arabia
²Department of Histopathology and Cytology, FMLS, University of Khartoum, Sudan
³Clinical Laboratory, College of Applied Medical Science, University of Ha’il, Ha’il, Saudi Arabia
⁴Consultant Gastroenterologist & Hepatologist, Fedail Hospital, Sudan

^♦Corresponding author
Pathology Department, College of Medicine, University of Ha'il, Ha'il, Saudi Arabia / 2Department of Histopathology and Cytology, FMLS, University of Khartoum, Sudan; Email: hussaingad5@gmail.com

ABSTRACT

Background: Oral use of smokeless tobacco has been documented as a prime cause of oral cancer. Thus, the present study aimed to evaluate the merit of combined use of AgNORs and oral mucosal keratinization for early prediction of cytological atypia associated with smokeless tobacco use. Methodology: This was a case-control study that included 96 participants, 48 persons were smokeless tobacco users ascertained as the case group, and 48 individuals were non-tobacco users affirmed as a control group. All study subjects were selected from the Hail area, Saudi Araba, from October 2019 to January 2020. Cytological materials were obtained from all participants by scraping of oral mucosa using a wooden tongue depressor. Results: Mean counts of AgNORs of > 2 dots were identified in 25/48(52%) of the cases and only one (2%) of the controls. Keratinization was detected in 33/48(67%) of the cases and 6/48(12.5%) of the controls. Out of the 25 cases with abnormal AgNORs count, 23/25(92%) were detected with keratinization. Conclusion: The combined use of AgNORs and oral mucosal keratinization is useful for the early prediction of cytological atypia associated with smokeless tobacco use. Oral use of smokeless can cause oral mucosal keratinization and cellular proliferation.

Keywords: AgNORs, oral mucosa, keratinization, smokeless tobacco

Medical Science, 2021, 25(109), 525-531

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