Monitoring of smokeless tobacco consumers using cytogenetic endpoints.

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 lime have been studied for frequency of micronucleated cells (MNC) in exfoliated buccal mucosa and chromosome aberrations (CA) and sister chromatid exchanges (SCE) in lymphocytes. The significant elevation in the values of all the three cytogenetic markers among tobacco users compared to the controls reveal the extent of genomic damage on target and nontarget tissues. The findings emphasize the possible use of cytogenetic endpoints for monitoring smokeless tobacco consumers.