METHODS: Sections from diagnostic biopsies were assessed for oral epithelial dysplasia using the WHO grading system, and DNA ploidy analysis was performed using established methods. Patients reviewed for a minimum of 5 years who did not develop oral squamous cell carcinoma were classified as "non-transforming" cases. Patients that developed oral squamous cell carcinoma ≥ 6 months after the initial diagnostic biopsy were classified as having "malignant transformation."
RESULTS: Ninety cases were included in the study. Seventy cases yielded informative DNA ploidy results. Of these 70 cases, 31 progressed to cancer. Oral epithelial dysplasia grading and DNA ploidy status were both significantly associated with clinical outcome (P DNA ploidy status and 0.688 when DNA ploidy status was combined with dysplasia grading.
CONCLUSION: Our findings suggest that combining dysplasia grading with DNA ploidy status has clinical utility which could be used to develop novel management algorithms.