| Abstract: |
Three cytogenetic endpoints were studied in non-chewing healthy controls and 3 groups of tobacco-areca nut chewers, viz. normal chewers, chewers with oral submucous fibrosis and chewers with oral cancer. Frequencies of sister-chromatid exchanges and chromosome aberrations in peripheral blood lymphocytes and of micronucleated cells in exfoliated buccal mucosa were evaluated. All the parameters showed statistically significant elevations in all 3 groups of chewers compared to the controls. The data indicate possible application of the parameters as sensitive endpoints for monitoring tobacco-areca nut chewers, the group of individuals at higher risk of developing oral cancer, the commonest cancer among Indian males.
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