Ferritin Levels in Serum and Saliva of Oral Cancer and Oral Potentially Malignant Disorders

Sajad Ahmad Buch; Subhas G  Babu; Renita Lorina Castelino; Devika S Pillai; Supriya  Bhat; Ullal Harshini Devi

doi:10.54614/eurjther.2021.0048

Authors

Sajad Ahmad Buch Department of Oral Medicine and Radiology, Yenepoya University, Yenepoya Dental College, Mangalore, Karnataka, India https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1241-4679
Subhas G Babu Department of Oral Medicine and Radiology, NITTE University, AB Shetty Memorial Institute of Dental Sciences, Mangalore, Karnataka, India https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9383-7886
Renita Lorina Castelino Department of Oral Medicine and Radiology, NITTE University, AB Shetty Memorial Institute of Dental Sciences, Mangalore, Karnataka, India https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8696-549X
Devika S Pillai Department of Oral Medicine Radiology and Special Care Dentistry, Saveetha Dental College & Hospitals, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7549-6395
Supriya Bhat https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4380-0214
Ullal Harshini Devi Department of Biotechnology Engineering, Visvesvaraya Technology University, Nitte Mahalinga Adyanthaya Memorial Institute of Technology, Karnataka, India https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5005-1768

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.54614/eurjther.2021.0048

Keywords:

Ferritin, oral cancer, oral potentially malignant disorders, saliva, serum

Abstract

Objective: Oral cancer remains a substantial health burden worldwide despite creditable developments in its prevention, detection, and treatment. The early detection of oral cancer offers high chances of survival and improves response to therapy making overall healthcare affordable. The aim and objective of this study were to compare and correlate serum and saliva ferritin levels in healthy subjects, oral potentially malignant disorders, and subjects with oral cancer and to assess the role of saliva as a valuable diagnostic tool.

Methods: Totally 30 participants each in 3 groups comprising healthy subjects, oral potentially malignant disorders, and oral cancer constituted the sample size. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay method was employed for serum and saliva ferritin levels.

Results: The respective mean serum ferritin and saliva ferritin levels were increased significantly in subjects with oral cancer (296.62 ± 82.54 ng/mL and 80.44 ± 12.94 ng/mL, respectively) and decreased significantly in oral potentially malignant disorders (69.83 ± 17.39 ng/mL and 17.49 ± 5.40 ng/mL, respectively) with a highly significant P <.001 when compared to that of healthy subjects, (116.15 ± 21.19 ng/mL and 38.47 ± 8.08 ng/mL), P <.001. All the 3 groups had a significant positive correlation between serum and saliva ferritin levels; healthy controls (r=0.622), oral potentially malignant disorders (r=0.878), and oral cancer (r=0.668).

Conclusion: The encouraging results of the present study demonstrate the potential involvement of ferritin in the pathogenesis of oral potentially malignant disorders and oral cancer. Further, the study favors saliva, as a reliable and non-invasive diagnostic tool providing a cost-effective approach for screening large populations.

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