Serum lipid profile patterns in patients with oral cancer and oral potentially malignant disorders

The role of serum lipids as tumour markers in the diagnosis of oral cancer and oral potentially malignant disorders (OPMDs) is of interest. Hence, three groups (oral cancer, OPMDs and age and sex matched healthy controls) comprising 40 patients each was selected. Serum lipid profile values (total cholesterol, triglycerides, low density lipoprotein, high density lipoprotein and very low density lipoprotein) were compared among the groups (unpaired t-test and one way-ANOVA) (p-value of <0.05 was considered as significant). Mean values of total serum cholesterol and low density lipoprotein were found to be elevated in cases of oral cancer and oral PMDs as compared to controls with statistical significance (p<0.001). The alterations in levels obtained in the study, support the role of serum lipid profile as biomarkers for oral cancer and OPMDs, yet strengthening of the evidences by long-term follow-up studies with larger sample sizes are warranted to establish the association.