Vital tissue staining in the diagnosis of oral precancer and cancer: Stains, technique, utility, and reliability

Early diagnosis is the single most factors that improve the prognosis and survival rate of cancer patients. Numerous adjuncts are available to aid in its diagnosis. Vital tissue staining is one such adjunct used in the diagnosis of cancer. Though not a new technique, its application to cancer diagnosis especially in its premalignant stage is still uncertain. While the efficiency of toluidine blue (TB) is established to certain extent, the role of other vital stains needs to be researched. This article reviews the various vital tissue staining techniques available in the diagnosis of oral precancer and cancer.