HISTOPATHOLOGICAL EVALUATION OF CONNECTIVE TISSUE STROMA IN ORAL SQUAMOUS CELL CARCINOMA : A HISTOCHEMICAL STUDY

OBJECTIVE: The aim of the study was to analyse and compare the nature of stromal collagen fibers in different grade of Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma(OSCC) by using different connective tissue stains like Masson’s Trichrome ,Van Geison and Picrosirius stains and to understand the possible role of stroma in progression of OSCC MATERIALS AND METHOD: Total 44 cases of OSCC and 5 sections of controls were examined using three connective tissue special histochemical stains Results: In this study, we found a gradual change in polarizing colours of collagen fibers from orange red to yellowish green from well to poorly differentiated OSCC around the tumour islands Conclusion: It was observed that stromal changes at the invading front of tumour islands and with the progression of neoplasm can be evaluated more efficiently with the use of Picrosirius stain, Masson Trichrome stain and van Geison stain