RESUMO
Background: Exposure of Genotoxic agents like formalin causes cancer. The duration of exposure and thequantity of exposure plays an important role in inducing the nuclear abnormalities. The nuclear abnormalitiesare BN, KR, KL.Objective: This study provides an easy and inexpensive way to assess the formalin induced nuclear abnormalitiesin different groups with different duration of exposure.Materials and methods: Fifty individuals with different duration of exposure were included in our descriptivestudy. Oral squamous cells were collected with the wooden spatula. The slides were fixed with methanolglutaraldehyde fixative and stained with Giemsa, May-Grunwald stains. After air drying, 1000 cells were screenedfor nuclear abnormalities like BN, KR, KL.Results: Nuclear abnormalities like KR, KL, BN were assessed. KL is more in less than 1-year exposure group.KR ismore in long term exposure groups. BN cells are seen 6 – 10 and 10 – 15 years exposure group.Conclusion: The genotoxic effect of formalin was confirmed by the increase in the nuclear abnormalities especiallyby the increase in the frequency of KR in tong term exposed group and KL in less than 1-year exposed group
RESUMO
Background: The three most common fatal cancers were oral, stomach, lung in men. Tobacco related cancers represented 42% in male and 18.3% in female cancer deaths. Poly cyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) is the carcinogen present in tobacco leads to squamous cell carcinoma of oral cavity. Context and purpose of the study: To study the genotoxicity of tobacco and alcohol on the buccal mucosa of alchoholics, smokers and betel nut chewers which is indicated by increased Micro nuclei. 20 persons having the habit of consuming alcohol and smoking and betel nut chewing were compared with 20 controls. After getting the informed consent the material was collected and stained for MN Assay. Results: MN frequency in alcoholic, smokers, betel nut chewers were found to be significant with the ‘P’ value of <0.05 in our study. Conclusion: The present study has revealed that there is a correlation of significant increased frequency of micro nucleus present in users of (1) alcohol and smoking in combination (2) betel nut chewers as compared to normal counterparts, indicating strong cytogenetic damage which may lead to cancerous proliferation. Tobacco can be considered as a leading carcinogenic agent for causing DNA damage which is indicated by increased micro nucleus. Implication: The present micro nuclear study shows a feasible and economical method which could be used as a screening test in population having the habit of alcohol and smoking or betel nut chewing for identifying the effects of genomic instabilities and to introduce timely interventional strategy in order to treat and control the epidemic.