Oral lichen planus patients exhibit consistent chromosomal numerical aberrations: A follow-up analysis

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.