An overview of the prevention of oral cancer and diagnostic markers of malignant change: 2. Markers of value in tumour diagnosis.

Earlier diagnosis of oral cancer should lead to an improvement in prognosis. This, the second part of a two-part overview, is concerned with the various cellular markers available for diagnosis of oral cancer. Traditionally diagnosis has relied upon the histomorphological interpretation of a tissue section following biopsy. The application of advances in various laboratory techniques for the identification of different cellular markers is briefly reviewed. In addition, although it is currently only a research tool, the potential role of oral exfoliative cytology in screening is considered.