Assessment of lipid peroxides in multiple biofluids of leukoplakia and oral squamous cell carcinoma patients-a clinico- biochemical study.

Abstract

Oral pre cancer and oral cancer results in lipid peroxidation, and assessment of lipid peroxides in body fluids may give insights into the role of anti oxidants in its management. The study was conducted to discern the varying levels of lipid peroxides in saliva, serum and tissue in oral pre cancer and oral cancer and also various forms of tobacco usage with sex as an added parameter. The levels of lipid peroxides were measured in saliva, serum and tissue in a total of 50 patients, 20 belonging to control, and 30 study group in which 10 with oral leukoplakia and 20 with histologically proven oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC). The mean value of malondialdehyde (MDA) were also recorded in males and females among the patients with oral leukoplakia and OSCC. Among the study group patients, the levels of MDA were also recorded in habits of smoking and chewing tobacco. Student's independent t-test, one way ANOVA, Tukey HSD procedure. Significantly elevated levels of lipid peroxides were seen in saliva, serum and tissue in oral leukoplakia and OSCC when compared to control patients. Among the study group, there were statistically significant increased levels of MDA in OSCC when compared to oral leukoplakia. There was also increase in MDA level in patients with smoking and chewing, but the variations seen in males and females were not very significant. The results clearly indicate the increase in lipid peroxidation in oral pre cancer and oral cancer with no significant difference between gender groups. The role of saliva as a relatively risk free and reliable, easy to obtain biofuid for diagnostic purposes has been highlighted. Also, since the levels of antioxidants are drastically decreased in carcinogenesis, the importance of anti oxidant supplements in the early stages of the disease has also been elucidated.