Histopathological study of stomatitis nicotina

One hundred and thirteen biopsies of the palate in people accustomed to smoking cigars, most of them with the burning end of the cigar inside the mouth, have been studied.Thirty-eight of these showed mild to severe atypical changes in the epithelium. There were 19 lesions showing orthokeratosis and 53 showing hyperorthokeratosis.The earliest atypical change is seen in the mouths of the ducts of the glands.There were 3 cases showing microinvasive carcinomas.Pigmentation is a prominent feature in these cases.The papules with umbilication could be due to hyperplasia of the mucous glands.It is suggested that stomatitis nicotina occurring in men and women with the habit of reverse smoking is probably precancerous because of the presence of atypical changes in the epithelium and also the finding of 3 microinvasive carcinomas without any macroscopic evidence.There is no acceptable explanation why the soft palate escapes getting either stomatitis nicotina lesion or carcinoma in reverse smokers.

Histochemical studies of papillary hyperplasia of the palate: enzyme histochemistry of papillary hyperplasia and normal palatal mucosa

Representative enzymes from four enzyme groups, which have been related to premalignant or malignant activity, were studied histochemically. Tissues from patients with papillary hyperplasia, normal denture-wearing patients, and normal non-denture-wearing patients were examined. No differences were noted in the distribution of the enzymes in the different tissues that could be related to premalignant or malignant change.

Reverse smoking in Andhra Pradesh, India: a study of palatal lesions among 10,169 villagers

In the district of Srikakulam in Andhra Pradesh in South India the habit of reverse smoking is widespread. In a house to house survey of oral cancer and precancerous conditions, comprising 10,169 villagers, 43·8% were reverse smokers; the female: male ratio being 1·7: 1. Ten previously undiagnosed cases of oral cancer, 9 located to palate, were found. The prevalences for leukoplakia, preleukoplakia and leukokeratosis nicotina palati were 4·9%, 2·9% and 9·5%. Of 497 leukoplakias, 422 were located to the palate and 413 of these patients had the habit of reverse smoking. Histologically, 80% of 381 palatal biopsies had a hyperorthokeratosis. Epithelial atypia was found in 15·3% of leukoplakias, in 3·6% of the preleukoplakias, and in 9·1% of leukokeratosis nicotina palati. Various explanations for the habit of reverse smoking are suggested and discussed. In addition to reverse smoking, other tobacco habits were also recorded; all habits and oral lesions were compared and have been discussed according to their apparent interrelationships and distribution by sex and age.