[Examination of serum hyaluronic acid level in patients with oral and maxillofacial malignancy].
OBJECTIVE
To determine the level of hyaluronic acid (HA) in serum of patients with oral and maxillofacial malignancy and to investigate the correlation between the levels of serum HA and stage of the malignant lesions and treatment response.


METHODS
44 patients with oral and maxillofacial malignancy were analyzed and 24 healthy individuals served as controls. Venous blood was collected from the patients before treatment and the healthy individuals. One week after therapy, venous blood were collected in 24 patients once again. Serum levels of HA were measured with quantitative radioimmunoassay (RIA).


RESULTS
Before treatment, the serum HA concentration in patients with oral and maxillofacial malignancy was significantly higher than that of the controls (P < 0.05). Also, the serum HA concentration in patients with OSCC was significantly higher than that of the controls (P < 0.05). No difference was noted in serum HA concentration between patients with salivary ACC and the control group (P > 0.05). The serum HA concentration of patients in stage III and IV was significantly higher than that of patients in stage I and II (P < 0.05). Serum HA levels decreased in patients after a complete treatment, but the difference was not significant (P > 0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
Serum levels of HA may be useful in diagnosis of OSCC and was associated with clinical stages in patients with oral and maxillofacial malignancy. However, it may not be contributory to monitoring treatment response in patients with oral and maxillofacial malignancy.
Xing
Ru-dong
RD
Dental Hospital, Capital University of Medical Science, Beijing 100050, China.
Chang
Shi-min
SM
Duan
Yu-qin
YQ
Zhang
Fang-ming
FM
Dong
Fu-sheng
FS
D016022:Case-Control Studies; D006801:Humans; D006820:Hyaluronic Acid / Q000097:blood*; D009062:Mouth Neoplasms / Q000097:blood*; D009367:Neoplasm Staging
D006820:Hyaluronic Acid