Paul Ehlrich’s Mastzellon- The Legend Lives

Background: Mast cells (MC) secrete a variety of molecules that are implicated in either promoting
tumour growth or may act in an opposite manner in other tumour types.
Aim: To evaluate the association of mast cells in the different grades of Oral Squamous Cell
Carcinoma (OSCC).
Material and Methods: 45 diagnosed cases each of well, moderate and poorly differentiated OSCC
were identified from the institutional archival material. Slides were made of 5 μm thickness and
stained with Hematoxylin and eosin and 1% Toluidine blue stain. Each section was evaluated for mast
cells in peritumoural, intratumoural locations and at the invasive front of the tumour. The results
obtained were subjected to statistical evaluation by an SPSS version 19 using Chi square test, Anova
and Post hoc Tuckey tests.
Results: An inverse relation was observed between MC count with grade of the tumour with
maximum MC located in the peritumoural area followed by the invasive front and the least in the intra
tumoural areas.
Conclusion: The results of the present study suggest that a decrease in MC count is associated with
an advanced histologic grade of OSCC and hence a poorer prognosis, thus favouring the protective
role of mast cells in OSCC