Clinical significance of total and lipid bound sialic acid levels in oral pre-cancerous conditions and oral cancer

• Published in: Journal of oral pathology & medicine Vol. 34; no. 5; pp. 263 - 267
• Main Authors: RAJPURA, Kinnari B, PATEL, Prabhudas S, CHAWDA, Jyoti G, SHAH, Raksha M
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford, UK Munksgaard International Publishers 01-05-2005; Blackwell
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adult; Aged; Biological and medical sciences; Biomarkers, Tumor - analysis; Biomarkers, Tumor - blood; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell - blood; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell - diagnosis; Case-Control Studies; Dentistry; Diagnosis, Differential; Glycoconjugates - analysis; Glycoconjugates - blood; glycoproteins; Humans; Leukoplakia, Oral - blood; Leukoplakia, Oral - diagnosis; Medical sciences; Middle Aged; Mouth Neoplasms - blood; Mouth Neoplasms - pathology; Multivariate Analysis; Neoplasm Staging; oral cavity cancer; oral pre-cancerous conditions; Oral Submucous Fibrosis - blood; Oral Submucous Fibrosis - diagnosis; Otorhinolaryngology. Stomatology; Precancerous Conditions - blood; Precancerous Conditions - pathology; serum; sialic acid; Sialic Acids - analysis; Sialic Acids - blood; Sialoglycoproteins - analysis; Sialoglycoproteins - blood; tumours; Human; Sialic acid; Premalignant lesion; Oral cancer; Stomatology; Glycoprotein; Lipids; oral pre-cancerous conditions; Glycosylation; ENT; glycoproteins; Malignant tumor; Oral cavity; oral cavity cancer; Serum; Oral cavity disease; tumours
• ISSN: 0904-2512; 1600-0714
• DOI: 10.1111/j.1600-0714.2004.00210.x

Background:  Altered glycosylation of glycoconjugates is among the important molecular changes that accompany malignant transformation. The purpose of our study was to investigate clinical usefulness of circulatory levels of total and lipid bound sialic acid for early diagnosis and management of oral cavity cancer patients.
Methods:  Blood samples were collected from 41 untreated oral cancer patients, 20 patients with oral pre‐cancerous conditions (OPC) and 20 healthy subjects. Serum sialic acid (total and lipid bound) levels were measured spectrophotometrically.
Results:  Serum levels of total and lipid bound sialic acid were significantly elevated (P < 0.001) in untreated oral cancer patients as compared to healthy individuals as well as patients with OPC. Multivariate analysis documented that the progressive rise in total and lipid bound sialic acid was significantly associated (P = 0.0001 and 0.039, respectively) with stage of malignant disease.
Conclusion:  The data revealed significant elevations in sialic acid levels in oral cancer patients and suggested potential utility of these parameters in diagnosis as well as determining clinical stage of the malignant disease.