Serum Advanced Oxidation Protein Products in Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma: Possible Markers of Diagnostic Significance

Background: The aim of this study was to measure the concentrations (levels) of serum total proteins and advanced oxidation protein products as markers of oxidant mediated protein damage in the sera of patients with oral cancers. Methods: The study consisted of the sera analyses of serum total protein and advanced oxidation protein products' levels in 30 age and sex matched controls, 60 patients with reported pre- cancerous lesions and/or conditions and 60 patients with histologically proven oral squamous cell carcinoma. One way analyses of variance were used to test the difference between groups. To determine which of the two groups' means were significantly different, the post-hoc test of Bonferroni was used. The results were averaged as mean +/- standard deviation. In the above test, P values less than 0.05 were taken to be statistically significant. The normality of data was checked before the statistical analysis was performed. Results: The study revealed statistically significant variations in serum levels of advanced oxidation protein products (P< 0.001). Serum levels of total protein showed extensive variations; therefore the results were largely inconclusive and statistically insignificant. Conclusion: The results emphasize the need for more studies with larger sample sizes to be conducted before a conclusive role can be determined for sera levels of total protein and advanced oxidation protein products as markers both for diagnostic significance and the transition from the various oral pre-cancerous lesions and conditions into frank oral cancers.