title: Utility of urinary biomarkers in oral cancer.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Oral cancer is the leading malignancy in India, with tobacco playing a major role in the etiology. The aim of the present study was to quantify nitrate+nitrite (NO2+NO3) in tobacco products as well as to study tobacco exposure related biomarkers in controls, patients with oral precancers (OPC) and oral cancer patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  Healthy individuals (n=90) were grouped into without habit of tobacco (NHT, n=30) and healthy individuals with habit of tobacco (WHT, n=60). Oral cancer patients with a tobacco habit were classified into abstinence (n=62) and non-abstinence (n=64) groups according to status at the study time. Urinary nicotine and cotinine levels were analyzed by modified high-pressure liquid chromatography (HPLC) using a UV detector. Levels of NO2+NO3 in tobacco and urine, and urinary thioether levels were estimated by spectrophotometry.
  
  
  RESULTS
  NO2+NO3 levels in different types of tobacco product ranged between 0.13 to 3.39 mg/g. The Odds Ratio (OR) analysis indicated positive associations of both smoking and chewing habits of tobacco with high risk of development of oral cancer. Urinary nicotine, cotinine and NO2+NO3 levels were significantly elevated in WHT, patients with OPC and oral cancer patients as compared with the NHT group. This was also the case for urinary thioether levels. Levels of urinary nicotine and cotinine were also higher in the non-abstinence group with oral cancers.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results confirmed that tobacco chewing and smoking habits are prominent risk factors for development of oral cancer in the western part of India (Gujarat). Urinary nicotine, cotinine, NO2+NO3 and thioether levels can be helpful for screening programs for oral cancer.
authors: Biochemistry Research Division, University College Hospital, London, UK.
authors: Jayendra B
authors: JB
authors: Patel
authors: Shilin N
authors: SN
authors: Shukla
authors: Hiten R  H
authors: HR
authors: Patel
authors: Kiran K
authors: KK
authors: Kothari
authors: Pankaj M
authors: PM
authors: Shah
authors: Prabhudas S
authors: PS
authors: Patel
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000652:urine*; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; D003367:Cotinine / Q000652:urine; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D009062:Mouth Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000652:urine*; D009538:Nicotine / Q000652:urine; D009566:Nitrates / Q000652:urine; D009573:Nitrites / Q000652:urine; D016017:Odds Ratio; D012016:Reference Values; D012907:Smoking / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000652:urine; D013440:Sulfides / Q000652:urine; D014030:Tobacco, Smokeless / Q000009:adverse effects
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D009566:Nitrates; D009573:Nitrites; D013440:Sulfides; D009538:Nicotine; D003367:Cotinine