title: Estimation of serum β2-microglobulin in potentially malignant disorders and squamous cell carcinoma of the oral cavity: A clinicopathological study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Tumor markers are substances, which quantitatively changes in serum, during the tumor development, one such tumor marker is serum β2-microglobulin (β2-m). The aim of this study was to establish the role of β2-m as a biochemical parameter for diagnosis and prognosis of oral carcinoma by estimation of serum β2-m levels in potentially malignant lesions, conditions, and oral squamous cell carcinoma.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study was carried out on 48 subjects (16 control, 8 oral submucous fibrosis, 8 oral leukoplakia, and 16 oral squamous cell carcinoma patients of different stages), conducted at department of Oral Medicine, Kothiwal Dental College, Moradabad, India. Under aseptic precautions, 5 ml venous blood was drawn and serum was separated. Estimation of β2-m level in serum was carried out by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay. The data were analyzed by using the statistical package for social sciences (SPSS 17.0) software. Cases and controls were tested for statistical significance with one-way ANOVA with post-hoc Tukey's HSD. Values of P < 0.05 were considered significant.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean serum β2-m level in the control group was 1.173 ± 0.059, in potentially malignant lesions/conditions group was 1.688 ± 0.137 and in oral squamous cell carcinoma group was 2.835 ± 0.0313. This progressive increase in serum β2-m level was found to be highly significant (P value < 0.001). Results of Receiver operating characteristic analysis showed β2-m as a 100% sensitive and specific biomarker for oral squamous cell carcinoma.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The present study establishes β2-m as a specific biological tumor marker for diagnostic and prognostic evaluation of oral squamous cell carcinoma.
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral Medicine and Radiology, Rungta College of Dental Sciences and Research, Bhilai, Chhattisgarh, India.
authors.forename: Anand Pratap
authors.initials: AP
authors.lastname: Singh
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral Medicine and Radiology, Career Institute of Dental Sciences and Hospital, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, India.
authors.forename: Nitin
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Kumar
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral Pathology and Microbiology, Kothiwal Dental College and Research Centre, Moradabad, Uttar Pradesh, India.
authors.forename: Manthena Srinivasa
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Raju
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral Medicine and Radiology, Saraswati Dental College and Hospital, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, India.
authors.forename: Narendra Nath
authors.initials: NN
authors.lastname: Singh
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral Medicine and Radiology, I. T. S Dental College, Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh, India.
authors.forename: Suma Gundareddy
authors.initials: SG
authors.lastname: Nagendrareddy
keywords: enzyme linked immunosorbent assay; squamous cell carcinoma; tumor markers; β2-microglobulin