Utility of toluidine blue staining and brush biopsy in precancerous and cancerous oral lesions

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the usefulness of toluidine blue and brush biopsy in precancerous oral lesions and squamous cell carcinoma. STUDY DESIGN: The study was conducted at Moti Lal Nehru Medical College, Allahabad, India. Ninety-six patients with suspicious oral lesions who attended the outpatient clinics of otorhinolaryngology were screened with in vivo toluidine blue staining and oral brush biopsy. RESULTS: Oral brush biopsy showed high specificity and sensitivity. Toluidine blue staining was highly sensitive and moderately specific for malignant lesions but less sensitive for premalignant lesions. CONCLUSIONS: Early detection of oral carcinoma is possible even at the precancerous stages by using noninvasive, painless and outpatient procedures, such as in vivo toluidine blue staining and brush biopsy.