Significance of Serum L-fucose Glycoprotein as Cancer Biomarker in Head and Neck Malignancies without Distant Metastasis.

BACKGROUND

Head and neck neoplasia is a major form of cancer in India, accounting for 30% of all cancers which occur in males and 11% of cancers which occur in females. Elevated serum L-fucose glycoprotein levels have been reported to be associated with neoplastic conditions involving various sites. Therefore, monitoring serum/tissue L-fucose glycoprotein levels could be a promising approach for the early diagnosis and prognosis of head neck cancers.

OBJECTIVE

This study was carried out to determine the significance of serum L-fucose levels in head and neck malignancies.

METHODS

This comparative study was carried out at a tertiary care hospital in South India.

METHODS

Serum L-fucose glycoprotein levels were estimated in 50 patients with histopathologically confirmed head and neck malignancies and they were compared with those of 50 age- and sex-matched healthy controls.

METHODS

Student's t-test was used to compare L-fucose glycoprotein levels in study and control groups.

RESULTS

Most common site of the primary tumour in the current study was oral cavity, followed by larynx, hypopharynx and oropharynx respectively. Comparison of glycoprotein L-fucose in two groups showed more than a two-fold rise in serum fucose levels in cases as compared to the those in controls, with mean values of 11.33±7.39 and 4.74±1.55 mg% in cases and controls respectively. There was no relationship between serum fucose levels and age, sex and tumour differentiation.

CONCLUSIONS

Serum glycoprotein L-fucose levels can be used as an effective biochemical indicator in conjunction with clinical diagnostic procedures in head and neck neoplasia and they may be useful for monitoring recurrences.