Objective: To assess the efficacy of calcofluor white (CFW) is compared to Gram stain and periodic acid-Schiff in detection of Candida in oral precancer and cancer.
Study design: The study group consisted of patients with precancer (n = 45), cancer (n = 45) and control group (n = 45). Presence of Candida was confirmed by culture inoculation along with a germ tube and carbohydrate fermentation test. The cytopathologic smears were analyzed by Papanicolaou-CFW and Gram staining, whereas, tissue sections were stained by periodic acid-Schiff and CFW staining.
Results: Candida albicans was the predominant species identified. A highly significant association of Candida was seen more often in cancer than in precancer. Both in cytology and histopathology Candida detection by CFW was higher. In precancer it was 48.88% in smears and 40% in tissue sections, whereas, in cancer 60% in smears and 55.55% in histopathology.
Conclusion: Among the various diagnostic tools used in the present study, the use of CFW is seen to be a simple, effective, rapid and reliable method, both in cytopathology and histopathology.