Oral Pathology
Ghazal Akhlaghi; Fatemeh Shahsavari; Maedeh Ghorbanpour
Abstract
Background & Objective: Formaldehyde is an irritating substance that is categorized as a definite carcinogen (Group A1), according to the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC). This study was conducted to determine the role of this substance in the frequency of micronuclei (MN) in the ...
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Background & Objective: Formaldehyde is an irritating substance that is categorized as a definite carcinogen (Group A1), according to the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC). This study was conducted to determine the role of this substance in the frequency of micronuclei (MN) in the buccal mucosal cells due to long-term exposure of the pathology staff to formaldehyde.Methods: In this case-control study, 32 pathology laboratory staff members were assigned to the case group, and 32 staff members who were not exposed to formaldehyde were assigned to the control group. Buccal mucosa cells were collected with a wet spatula and stained with Papanicolaou stain. In each sample, 500 cells were counted; then, the frequency of MN and the average number of MN in the micronucleated cells were assessed and compared between the 2 groups using the independent t test. Furthermore, the relationship between gender and MN was evaluated using the independent t test. The relationship between years of exposure and time of exposure during the day (in hours) for the case group, as well as the relationship between age and frequency of MN was analyzed using the Pearson correlation coefficient.Results: The mean frequency of MN in exfoliated buccal cells was 18.33±12.36 in the case group, which was significantly higher than the control group (10.55±6.22; P=0.003). The difference in the mean number of total MN in the micronucleated cells was not significant between the case and control groups (P=0.11). The relationship between sex, age, and years of exposure with the mean frequency of MN and the total number of MN in the micronucleated cells was not significant. The relationship between exposure time during the day and both the mean frequency of MN and the total number of MN in the micronucleated cells was significant (P=0.03). Conclusion: Formaldehyde exposure and extended time of exposure during the day can increase the frequency of MN, which can prognosticate the incidence of precancerous and cancerous lesions. Therefore, continuous exposure to formaldehyde can be considered an occupational health hazard, though further studies are needed to confirm this result.
Molecular Pathology
Maryam Sotoudeh Anvari; Atoosa Gharib; Maryam Abolhasani; Aileen Azari-Yaam; Farzaneh Hossieni Gharalari; Moeinadin Safavi; Ali Zare-Mirzaie; Mohammad Vasei
Abstract
Molecular assays for detection of nucleic acids in biologic specimens are valuable diagnostic tools supporting clinical diagnoses and therapeutic decisions. Pre-analytical errors, which occur before or during processing of nucleic acid extraction, contribute a significant role in common errors which ...
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Molecular assays for detection of nucleic acids in biologic specimens are valuable diagnostic tools supporting clinical diagnoses and therapeutic decisions. Pre-analytical errors, which occur before or during processing of nucleic acid extraction, contribute a significant role in common errors which take place in molecular laboratories. Certain practices in specimen collection, transportation, and storage can affect the integrity of nucleic acids before analysis. Applying best practices in these steps, helps to minimize those errors and leads to better decisions in patient diagnosis and treatment. Widely acceptable recommendations, which are for optimal molecular assays associated with pre-analytic variables, are limited. In this article, we have reviewed most of the important issues in sample handling from bed to bench before starting molecular tests, which can be used in diagnostic as well as research laboratories. We have addressed the most important pre-analytical points in performing molecular analysis in fixed and unfixed solid tissues, whole blood, serum, plasma, as well as most of the body fluids including urine, fecal and bronchial samples, as well as prenatal diagnosis samples.
