Clinical Evaluation of the Optical Filter for Autofluorescence Glasses for Oral Cancer Curing Light Exposed (GOCCLES®) in the Management of Potentially Premalignant Disorders: A Retrospective Study

Carlo Lajolo; Mariateresa Tranfa; Romeo Patini; Antonino Fiorino; Teresa Musarra; Roberto Boniello; Alessandro Moro

doi:10.3390/ijerph19095579

Clinical Evaluation of the Optical Filter for Autofluorescence Glasses for Oral Cancer Curing Light Exposed (GOCCLES^®) in the Management of Potentially Premalignant Disorders: A Retrospective Study

Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2022 May 4;19(9):5579. doi: 10.3390/ijerph19095579.

Authors

Carlo Lajolo¹, Mariateresa Tranfa¹, Romeo Patini¹, Antonino Fiorino¹, Teresa Musarra², Roberto Boniello¹, Alessandro Moro¹

Affiliations

¹ Department of Head, Neck and Sense Organs, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCCS, 00168 Rome, Italy.
² Department of Women's, Children's and Public Health Sciences, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCCS, 00168 Rome, Italy.

Abstract

Background: Any oral potentially malignant disorders (OPMDs) must be regularly monitored through clinical examination to detect any possible malignant transformation. Conventional intraoral exams, however, can be difficult because these conditions may resemble benign lesions. For this reason, several non-invasive diagnostic technologies have been developed to help the clinician in detecting and distinguishing between cancerous and benign lesions. Epithelial dysplasia can be considered the most important predictor of malignant evolution. Therefore, in this study we aim to evaluate the ability of an optical filter for autofluorescence Glasses for Oral Cancer Curing Light Exposed (GOCCLES^®) and of toluidine blue staining in identifying dysplastic areas in patients with OPMDs.

Methods: In this retrospective study, medical records, photographs and videos of 25 patients with oral lesions were analyzed. Forty-two biopsy samples in 25 patients with OPMDs and at least one suspicious oral mucosa lesion that were evaluated in white light, autofluorescence with optical filter GOCCLES^®, toluidine blue staining and then biopsied with histopathological analysis were analyzed.

Results: The sensitivity and specificity for the autofluorescence evaluation with GOCCLES^® for identifying dysplasia or carcinoma were 66% and 48%, respectively. The positive and negative predictive values were 34% and 77%, respectively, and the accuracy was 53%. The sensitivity and specificity for toluidine blue staining were 91% and 68%, respectively. The positive and negative predictive values were 55% and 95%, respectively, and the accuracy was 75%.

Conclusions: The optical filter for autofluorescence (GOCCLES^®) and toluidine blue staining are simple, inexpensive, rapid and non-invasive procedures that can assist the clinician in distinguishing OPMDs from healthy mucosa but they are not able to distinguish benign and malignant lesions.

Keywords: autofluorescence; biopsy; dysplasia; oral cancer; oral potentially malignant disorders; retrospective study; toluidine blue.

MeSH terms

Humans
Mouth Diseases* / diagnosis
Mouth Mucosa / pathology
Mouth Neoplasms* / diagnosis
Mouth Neoplasms* / pathology
Precancerous Conditions* / diagnosis
Precancerous Conditions* / pathology
Retrospective Studies
Tolonium Chloride

Substances

Tolonium Chloride

Grants and funding

This research received no external funding.