GLYCOPROTEIN ELECTROPHORETIC PATTERN IN SERA OF PATIENTS WITH ORAL PRECANCEROUS CONDITIONS AND UPPER AERODIGESTIVE TRACT CANCER

Cancer of the upper aerodigestive tract is one of the leading sites of human malignancies in India. Various glycoproteins have been claimed to be specifically associated with cancer. Serum glycoprotein electrop horesis was carried out in sera obtained from 23 healthy individuals [ 10 without habit of tobacco consumption (NHT) 13 with habit of tobacco consumption (WHT)], 46 patients with oral precancerous conditions (OP C) and 110 untreated patients with upper aerodigestive tract cancer. E ighty-six samples from the cancer patients were also collected after i nitiation of anticancer therapy. The albumin, alpha, beta and gamma re gion glycoproteins were quantitated by densitometric scanning after se paration by polyacrylamide disc gel (PADG) electrophoresis. Mean value s of albumin and alpha region glycoproteins were significantly lower i n WHT and patients with OPC as compared to NHT, The gamma region glyco proteins were significantly elevated in WHT, patients with OPC and unt reated cancer patients as compared to the NHT, The albumin region glyc oproteins were significantly low, whereas, gamma region glycoproteins were significantly elevated in nonresponders as compared to their pret reatment levels. The glycoprotein values in complete responders were c omparable with NHT. An extra glycoprotein band was found in the post b eta region, in most of the individuals (>50%) with habit of tobacco co nsumption in all the groups. There was a decrease in the albumin/gamma , alpha/gamma and beta/gamma values in patients with OPC as well as un treated cancer patients as compared to NHT. Albumin/gamma, alpha/gamma and beta/gamma values were lower in nonresponders as compared to thei r pretreatment value. The results indicate that the alterations in gly coprotein electrophoresis pattern may be useful for early detection of cancer of the upper aerodigestive tract. It may also be helpful in tr eatment monitoring of cancer patients.