Original Articles CLINICAL AND CYTOLOGICAL EVALUATION OF ORAL MUCOSAL LESIONS IN PAN-CHEWERS FROM LAHORE, PAKISTAN

Abstract

Objective:

 The current study was performed to asses demographic, clinical and cyto-morphological features of oral mucosa in pan chewers.

Methods:

 This was a cross-sectional, survey. After taking relevant history and informed consent, a clinical examination was performed on 300 pan users from Lahore city. Cytological smears were obtained to be stained with Haematoxylin and Eosin, Giemsa and Pap’s stain. All the smears were examined under light microscope to evaluate cyto-morphological changes. Data were analyzed with the help of SPSS.

Results:

The average age for all subjects was 32.28±0.59 and 95% were males. The majority were from poor social background and some of them gave history of smoking and alcohol etc. Many had discolored and sensitive teeth, bleeding gums and painful oral lesions. The mean duration of pan chewing was 11.47±0.39 years and majority of subjects used to chew 1-5 pans /day. On naked eye examination of oral cavity, leukoplakia, erythroleukoplakia, oral submucous fibrosis, erythroplakia, and growth were seen in 8.7%, 2.3%, 1.7%, 1%, and 1% subjects respectively. On cytological examination epithelial dysplasia, oral squamous cell carcinoma, keratosis, inflammation, bacterial and candidal loads were observed in 57.7%, 1%, 54.3%, 74.7%, 48.7%, and 7.7% subjects respectively.

Conclusion:

Poor orodental hygiene, inflammatory conditions, pre-malignant lesions like leukoplakia, erythroplakia, epithelial dysplasia and malignancy of oral mucosa were alarmingly common in pan chewers from Lahore, Pakistan who belonged to the poor socioeconomic background and do not seek medical advice.