Comparison of the routine Papanicolaou staining technique with the rapid, economic, acetic acid, Papanicolaou (REAP) technique.

ABSTRACT

Background: The universal stain for oral cytological screening for precancer and cancer of oral cavity is Papanicolaou stain which has been used in different laboratories with many modifications. Objectives: To assess the superiority of staining of smears by REAP technique compared to PAP technique. Material and Methods: 100 smears were collected from 50 patients. One set of smears were stained with conventional PAP technique and the other set with the REAP technique. In the REAP technique, the ethanol bath in the pre Orange G6, post Orange G6 and post EA50 stages is replaced by 1% acetic acid; Tap water is used instead of Scott’s tap water and hematoxylin is pre heated in water bath to 60°C for rapid penetration. Methanol is used for final dehydration. The two sets of smears are observed by two independent observers and assessed for the optimal and suboptimal nuclear and cytoplasmic staining. The results are compared and analyzed statistically. Results: Good cytoplasmic transparency and optimal nuclear details were seen in REAP stained smears compared to the conventional PAP smears. The cost involved in REAP method was lesser compared to conventional PAP technique. REAP technique took 3 minutes for completion compared to PAP technique that involves a minimum of 20 minutes. Conclusion: REAP technique produces better stained smears that are cost effective and involve minimal time for mass screening of oral cancer as compared to conventional PAP smears.