Abstract:

Background and Objectives:  Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is the sixth most common human cancer with a high morbidity rate and a 5-year mortality rate of about 50%.The incidence as well as mortality rate of cancer have shown a sharp acceleration since the last two decades Altered glycosylation of glycoconjugates is among the important molecular changes that accompany malignant transformation. Various studies in the past have shown the direct relation of Total Sialic acid in premalignant lesions and different malignancies. The purpose of this study is to investigate clinical usefulness of circulatory levels of Total Sialic acid in Leukoplakia, Squamous cell carcinoma and healthy controls of age and sex matched subjects.Method: Blood samples were collected from 20 untreated Leukoplakia, 20 untreated Squamous cell carcinoma and 20 healthy subjects. Total serum Sialic acid were evaluated by the simplified quick method by G Sydow and measured spectrophotometrically at 525nm.Results: Serum levels of Total Sialic acid were significantly elevated (P<0.001) in untreated Oral cancer patients as compared to healthy controls and Leukoplakia. Our data also inferred significant difference between 1)control group & Leukoplakia group, 2)control group & squamous group and 3)Leukoplakia group & squamous group with respect to the mean Sialic acid levels (P<0.001). The mean Sialic acid is found to be more in squamous group compared to Leukoplakia and control group and this difference is statistically significant. The mean Sialic acid in Leukoplakia group is higher than control group and this difference is also statistically significant.Conclusion: The data revealed direct relation between significant elevation of serum Total Sialic acid levels in Oral cancer patients and also an ascending order of increase of serum Total Sialic acid levels from healthy controls to Leukoplakia to Squamous cell carcinoma and suggested that potential utility of these parameters in initial diagnosis of Leukoplakia and Squamous cell carcinoma.

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