Background: Oral lichen planus (OLP) carries an increased risk for malignant transformation with aneuploid cells (ACs) being found in brush samples of a quarter of patients with OLP.
Methods: Patients with OLP were followed and repeated brush samples were simultaneously analyzed for morphology and fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH) using centromeric probes for chromosomes 2 and 8.
Results: Three patients with a high proportion of ACs developed oral cancer. Fifteen patients had ≥1% ACs (13 in affected sites and 2 in nonaffected sites), whereas only 2 of the 15 patients with <1% ACs in the first sample had ≥1% ACs in the second sample. A strong positive correlation between the results of the initial and repeated samples was found.
Conclusion: High proportion of ACs in brush samples from patients with OLP may imply an impending malignant transformation. As FISH analysis is consistent over time, it can be used to identify a subgroup of patients who would require close follow-up. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Head Neck 38: E741-E746, 2016.
Keywords: aneuploidy; chromosomal instability; oral cancer; oral lichen planus.
© 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.