Oral epithelial dysplasia

Question 1

What do basal cells replicate like?

Answer 1

Cells get pushed upwards, and closer to the surface get flatter and flatter.

Question 2

What do basal cells look like in dysplasia?

Answer 2

• larger nuclei
• increase in nucleus/cytoplasmic ratio
• tend to lose polarity
• tend to have more mitotic figures (replicates more)
• stacked up abnormally
• Disordered maturation
• abnormal cell size/shape
• abnormal replication
• abnormal function

Question 3

What is the spectrum of dysplasia?

Answer 3

Normal tissue - low grade dysplasia - high grade dysplasia

Question 4

What is carcinoma in situ?

Answer 4

condition related to severe dysplasia - full thickness changes in epithelium
High risk of cancer
Has distinct drop shaped rete ridges

Question 5

What is the distinction between carcinoma in situ and invasive carcinoma?

Answer 5

Invasive carcinoma breaches past the basement membrane (cancerous)

Question 6

What causes dysplasia?

Answer 6

• smoking
• alcohol
• betel nut, paan
• immune suppression
• lichen planus - not routinely