Assessing the prevalence and correlation of candida species in leukoplakia and oral cancer: A comparative study

Background: Head and neck cancer is a major problem that occurs in Asia. Increasing incidence and lack of improvement in prognosis of oral cancer and pre cancer in Indian population necessitates in depth probing of various etiological and contributory factors for its early diagnosis and prognosis. Various studies have focused supporting an association between Candida species and oral neoplasia. Objective – This study was conducted to assess the prevalence and correlation of Candida organisms in leukoplakia, oral cancer and healthy control group. Method: A comparative study was carried out in the Department of Oral Medicine and Radiology, which include total 63 patients based on inclusion and exclusion criteria 21 clinically and histopathologically diagnosed oral cancer patients and 21 leukoplakia patients and 21 subjects with no clinical lesion were included in the study. The biopsy specimen processed for routine histopathologic examination and PAS staining. Whole saliva sample collected by spitting method was incubated in Sabouraud’s dextrose agar by lawn plating technique. and colonies were counted for Candida species. Results: In present study we found positive correlation of Candida species in oral cancer and leukoplakia patients. The distribution of mean candida colonies in oral cancer group was significantly higher compared to the leukoplakia and control groups (p-value <0.001 for both). The distribution of prevalence of presence of candida colonies differ significantly between oral cancer group and normal group as well as between leukoplakia and normal group (p-value<0.05 for both). Conclusion: Present study indicates positive role of candida in oral carcinogenesis.