Efficacy of Antioxidant Vitamins and Trace Elements Level in the Prognosis of Oral Cancer

Background & Objective: Imbalances between oxidant and antioxidant status have been implicated in the pathogenesis of oral cancer. Majority of oral cancer are headed by a well-recognized group of pre-malignant lesions. However, only a small fraction of those lesions undergo malignant transformation. Hence there is a great need to identify biological markers which will help in identifying lesion carrying high-risk. This study was aimed to determine serum levels of Beta carotene, Vitamin C, Ceruloplasmin, Zinc and Copper in patients with Precancer (Oral submucous fibrosis and Oral leukoplakia) & Oral cancer. Methodology: The study consisted of 150 individuals with 50 healthy controls, 50 Pre-cancer patients (25 OSMF and 25 Leukoplakia) and 50 Oral cancer patients. Five ml of venous blood was drawn under as eptic pre cautions from these individuals and following tests by using Neeld and Pearson method for Beta carotene, Roe and Carl A. Kuether method for Vitamin C, Ravin H.A method for Ceruloplasmin, while Zinc and Copper by Kit method (Crest Biosystems) were performed and then the data was statistically analysed using student t-test. Result & Interpretation: Significant (p value <0.05) reduced levels of Beta carotene, Vitamin C, Zinc and increased levels of Copper and Ceruloplasmin (<0.05) in patients with OSMF, Leukoplakia and Oral cancer was observed when compared with the controls. Conclusion: Thus findings of the study suggest that the evaluation of these markers would be useful in assessing early malignant change, increasing accuracy of clinical diagnosis and also in assessing the spread and invasiveness of the cancer of oral cavity.