Cytological Grading Of Oral Submucous Fibrosis

Oral submucous fibrosis (OSMF) is a condition that was first described in the 1950s. It is caused as a result of addiction to harmful areca nut products with or without tobacco. The rationale of using exfoliative cytology in our study lies in the epithelial physiology where continuous exfoliation of epithelial cells is a part of physiological turnover. Deeper cells, which are strongly adhered in normal conditions, become loose in the case of malignancy and exfoliate along with superficial cells. Our aim in this study was to compare the cellular changes such as formation of micronuclei within the cell and cytomorphometric analysis of the buccal mucosal cells of OSMF patients with that of normal controls. We identified thirty three such cases of OSMF on the basis of oral inspection and examination. We used exfoliative cytology and liquid based cytogy to obtain buccal cells. The smear thus prepared was stained with feulgan fast green, acridine orange and papanicolou. Micronuclei were identified and cytomorphometric analysis was done using Adelta software. There was a change in the hue of Papanicolou from pink to purplish indicating the degree of keratinization from normal cells to cells affected by OSMF. Acridine orange gave a green emission at wavelength 480-490 to normal cells, while it gave a bright red fluorescence in cells undergoing apoptosis. Mean cellular diameter decreased from normalcells affected oral lesions. Mean nuclear cytoplasmic ratio increased from normal-cells to those affected by oral lesions. Frequency of micronuclei increased from normal to the cells affected by oral lesions. Buccal cell mutations in premalignant and malignant lesions can serve as a useful tool for the bio-monitoring of oral lesions. Exfoliative Cytology being minimally invasive and cost effective can help in mass screening programmes

Dendritic cell engineering for selective targeting of female reproductive tract cancers

Female reproductive tract cancers (FRCs) are considered as one of the most frequently occurring malignancies and a foremost cause of death among women. The late-stage diagnosis and limited clinical effectiveness of currently available mainstay therapies, primarily due to the developed drug resistance properties of tumour cells, further increase disease severity. In the past decade, dendritic cell (DC)-based immunotherapy has shown remarkable success and appeared as a feasible therapeutic alternative to treat several malignancies, including FRCs. Importantly, the clinical efficacy of this therapy is shown to be restricted by the established immunosuppressive tumour microenvironment. However, combining nanoengineered approaches can significantly assist DCs to overcome this tumour-induced immune tolerance. The prolonged release of nanoencapsulated tumour antigens helps improve the ability of DC-based therapeutics to selectively target and remove residual tumour cells. Incorporation of surface ligands and co-adjuvants may further aid DC targeting (in vivo) to overcome the issues associated with the short DC lifespan, immunosuppression and imprecise uptake. We herein briefly discuss the necessity and progress of DC-based therapeutics in FRCs. The review also sheds lights on the future challenges to design and develop clinically effective nanoparticles-DC combinations that can induce efficient anti-tumour immune responses and prolong patients' survival.

Diagnosis In A Spit : A Short Review

Salivary diagnostics is a cost effective, minimally invasive procedure. This bio-fluid can be easily collected, transported and stored. There are a variety of conditions where saliva can be used as a diagnostic tool such as measurement of stress, enzyme levels, developmental disease biomarkers and cancer mutations. A number of studies have focused their attention on the assessment and monitoring of oncologic biomarkers in saliva. Modern techniques, chemicals and various equipment have made laboratory investigations of saliva easy and precise. Its clinical applications and analysis has made salivary diagnostics a useful tool in the field of Medicine and Dentistry. The methodology for diagnosis of oral and systemic diseases has been a subject of study by several researchers with the aim of increasing its use as a diagnostic tool.