Serum Vitamin D levels in patients with Oral squamous cell carcinoma and potentially malignant lesions - a comparative study.

Vitamin D deficiency is frequently observed in human cancer patients and a prognostic relevance could be shown for some entities. A low serum level of 25-hydroxy vitamin D, the principal form of circulating vitamin D, is the main marker of vitamin D deficiency and is studied to have a potent anti-neoplastic activity in the management of several human malignancies. Few systemic reviews are available which have observed that there exists a relationship between vitamin D and cancerous cells. It’s noted that this works by enhancing anti-proliferation and pro-apoptotic factors, as well as inhibition of cell-cycle promoters and growth factor signalling pathway., thus inhibiting cancer cell proliferation. Thus, Vitamin D is a pro-apoptotic factor and is a useful anti-neoplastic agent. Through this study we aim to validate this correlation and acknowledge the relationship if any between the prevalence of oral squamous cell carcinoma and serum vitamin D levels

Patients presenting to Department of oral maxillofacial surgery with a clinical diagnosis of oral squamous cell carcinoma (Group A) or potentially malignant lesion (Group B) will be included in this study. Cancer free healthy patients who are willing to be part of the study would be included as controls (Group C). Patients in Group A and Group B, as per protocol, require to be biopsied to have confirmatory diagnosis. Prior to biopsy these patients are sent for routine blood tests for evaluation of Complete blood picture, biochemistry analysis like blood glucose, serum electrolyte, etc. and bleeding and clotting time evaluation. During these blood sampling the patient will be asked for additional tests for Vitamin D analysis. Patients in Group C will comprise of patients with no suspected intra-oral lesion, however, undergoing any minor surgical procedure which will require prior blood tests.

Informed consent of the patients will be obtained. Information on age, sex, tobacco habit status would be collected. Histopathological differentiation would be recorded from oral squamous cell carcinoma. Type of potentially malignant lesion would also be recorded.