title: Evaluation of serum sialic acid, fucose levels and their ratio in oral squamous cell carcinoma.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Detection of cancer at the early stage is of utmost importance to decrease the morbidity and mortality of the disease. Apart from the conventional biopsy, minimally invasive methods like serum evaluation are used for screening large populations. Thus, this study aimed to estimate serum levels of sialic acid and fucose and their ratio in oral cancer patients and in healthy control group to evaluate their role in diagnosis.
  
  
  METHODS
  Serum samples were collected from 52 healthy controls (group I) and 52 squamous cell carcinoma patients (group II). Estimation of serum levels of sialic acid and fucose and their ratio was performed. This was correlated histopathologically with the grades of carcinoma. Statistical analysis was done by using analysis of variance (ANOVA) test and unpaired "t" test.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Results showed that serum levels of sialic acid and fucose were significantly higher in oral cancer patients compared to normal healthy controls (P < 0.001). The sialic acid to fucose ratio was significantly lower in cancer patients than in normal controls (P < 0.01). However, comparison with histological grading, habits, gender, and age group did not show any significant result.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The mean serum sialic acid and fucose levels showed an increasing trend from controls to malignant group and their corresponding ratio showed decreasing trend from controls to malignant group. The ratio of sialic acid to fucose can be a useful diagnostic aid for oral cancer patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral Medicine and Radiology, Kalinga Institute of Dental Sciences, Bhubaneswar, Odisha, India.
authors.forename: Sangamesh Ningappa
authors.initials: SN
authors.lastname: Chinnannavar
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral Medicine and Radiology, Bapuji Dental College and Hospital, Davanagere, Karnataka, India.
authors.forename: Lingappa
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Ashok
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral Medicine and Radiology, Kalinga Institute of Dental Sciences, Bhubaneswar, Odisha, India.
authors.forename: Kodige Chandrashekhar
authors.initials: KC
authors.lastname: Vidya
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral Medicine and Radiology, Gurunanak Dev Dental College, Sunam, Punjab, India.
authors.forename: Sunil Mysore Kantharaja
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Setty
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral Medicine and Radiology, Vishnu Dental College, Bhimavaram, Andhra Pradesh, India.
authors.forename: Guru Eraiah
authors.initials: GE
authors.lastname: Narasimha
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral Medicine and Radiology, SEGI University College, Petaling Jaya, Malaysia.
authors.forename: Ranjana
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Garg
keywords: Fucose; N-acetylneuraminic acid; oral cancer; oral squamous cell carcinoma; serum; sialic acid; sialic acid to fucose ratio