Comparative Study of Plasma Lipid Profile Pattern in Various Grades of Oral Submucous Fibrosis and Tobacco Consumers

Aim: Changes in lipid profile have long been associated with malignancies as lipids play a key role in maintenance of cell integrity. This study evaluated the alterations in extended lipid profile in untreated patients of oral submucous fibrosis (OSMF) and studied the correla- tion between lipid levels with tobacco consumption. Material and methods: In this study histopathologically proven 30 OSMF patients, 30 tobacco consumers and 20 controls were studied. In these samples serum lipids including total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol (LDLC), HDL cholesterol (HDLC), VLDL cholesterol (VLD LC) and triglycerides (TG) were analyzed. Results: Mean plasma lipid profile levels were lower in the OSMF group compared to the control group and tobacco consumers. The me- an plasma TC, TG, LDLC and VLDLC levels were higher and HDLC levels were lower in the tobacco consumer group when compared to the control. Conclusion: The lower levels of plasma cholesterol and other lipid constituents in patients might be due to their increased utilization. The findings strongly warrant an in-depth study of alterations in plasma lipid profile in patients with oral submucous fibrosis. ular control. Thus malignant cells appear to differ in their lipid sease and Gaucher's disease. metabolism from normal mature cells. Furthermore, the possib- The alterati ons in the plasma lipid profile levels have been fo- ility has been raised that these lipid alterations, and in some ca- und to be associated with etiology of breast cancer, colorectal ses lipid accumulations, may be intrinsic to cell proliferation or cancer, head and neck cancer patients. However, only a few re- 1 malignant transformation. ports are available on lipid profile in oral submucous fibrosis. Variation in plasma lipid profile has been consistently found in The high incidence of oral pre-cancerous and cancerous condit- coronary heart disease, some malignant diseases are also been ion in India has long been linked with the habit of betel quid ch- reported with early and significant changes in plasma lipid pro- ewing incorporating tobacco chewer's. �Oral cancer � is one of file. Low levels of cholesterol in the proliferating tissues could the most common malignancies in south and southeast Asian 4 be due to the ongoing process of oncogenesis. It is believed that countries. tobacco carcinogens induce generation of free radicals and rea- Oral submucous fibrosis is a potentially malignant disorder that ctive oxygen species which are responsible for high rate of oxi- primarily affects any part of the oral cavity and sometimes the dation/peroxidation polyunsaturated fatty acids. This peroxi- pharynx and esophagus. The disease was first described in 1952 dation further releases peroxide radicals, this affects essential by Pindborg and Sirsat and its pre-malignant potential was de- constituents of the cell membrane. Because of the lipid peroxi- scribed by Paymaster. The disease is chronic, insidious and pro- dation, there is a greater utilization of lipids including total cho- gressive in nature. This generalized condition of the mouth eve- lesterol, lipoproteins and triglycerides for new membrane biog- ntually becomes a debilitating disease with mucosal rigidity ca- enesis. However, earlier studies have reported that hypolipide- using discomfort, burning sensation and limitation of opening 5 mia may result due to the direct lipid-lowering effect of tumor of the mouth. cells or some secondary malfunction of the lipid metabolism or In the present study plasma lipid profile evaluation in OSMF ABSTRACT