Diagnostic significance of serum and salivary lipid levels in oral precancer and oral cancer

INTRODUCTION: Lipids are one of the major constituents of the cell. Variations in the serum lipids have been considered a cofactor of carcinogenesis, as lipids play a crucial role in cell integrity. Saliva is an ultrafiltrate of plasma and correlates with the serum, which may be used as an alternate method of serum lipid level estimation. The study was conducted to find any correlation between serum and salivary lipid levels and to evaluate the changes in serum and salivary lipid levels in oral precancer and cancer patients. AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to evaluate the changes in serum and salivary lipid levels in oral precancer and cancer patients and to correlate salivary lipid levels with serum lipid levels. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study was an in vivo study conducted on randomly selected 129 patients with oral cancer and oral precancer. The selected subjects were divided into four groups as Group 1 – healthy control, Group 2 – oral submucous fibrosis, Group 3 – leukoplakia, and Group 4 – oral cancer. Serum and salivary lipid levels were estimated biochemically and statistically analyzed for any correlation with oral precancer and cancer. RESULTS: Lipid level estimation showed no statistically significant difference on comparison of intergroup serum and saliva total cholesterol level and high-density lipoproteins among all four groups, whereas intergroup comparison of serum and saliva triglycerides (TG) levels among the four groups showed a statistically significant difference in saliva TG level. The correlation of serum and salivary lipid levels showed a significant positive correlation. CONCLUSION: In the present study association between serum/salivary lipid levels and oral precancer and oral cancer could not be established. A positive association was there in serum and salivary lipids hence salivary lipid levels may be used as a noninvasive technique for serum lipid level estimation.