MONITORING OF SMOKELESS TOBACCO CONSUMERS USING CYTOGENETIC END-POINTS

Smokeless tobacco consumption is causally associated with oral cavity cancers; however, extensive cytogenetic studies have not been done. In the present study, individuals consuming dry snuff or tobacco with li me have been studied for frequency of micronucleated cells (MNC) in ex foliated buccal mucosa and chromosome aberrations (CA) and sister chro matid exchanges (SCE) in lymphocytes. The significant elevation in the values of all the three cytogenetic markers among tobacco users compa red to the controls reveal the extent of genomic damage on target and nontarget tissues. The findings emphasize the possible use of cytogene tic endpoints for monitoring smokeless tobacco consumers.