Estimation of serum β2-microglobulin in potentially malignant disorders and squamous cell carcinoma of the oral cavity: A clinicopathological study.

[oral submucous fibrosis]

Tumor markers are substances , which quantitatively changes in serum , during the tumor development , one such tumor marker is serum β 2 -microglobulin (β 2 -m ). The aim of this study was to establish the role of β 2 -m as a biochemical parameter for diagnosis and prognosis of oral carcinoma by estimation of serum β 2 -m levels in potentially malignant lesions , conditions , and oral squamous cell carcinoma .The study was carried out on 48 subjects (16 control , 8 oral submucous fibrosis , 8 oral leukoplakia , and 16 oral squamous cell carcinoma patients of different stages ), conducted at department of Oral Medicine , Kothiwal Dental College , Moradabad , India . Under aseptic precautions , 5 ml venous blood was drawn and serum was separated . Estimation of β 2 -m level in serum was carried out by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay . The data were analyzed by using the statistical package for social sciences (SPSS 17 .0 ) software . Cases and controls were tested for statistical significance with one -way ANOVA with post-hoc Tukey 's HSD . Values of P < 0 .05 were considered significant .The mean serum β 2 -m level in the control group was 1 .173 ± 0 .059 , in potentially malignant lesions /conditions group was 1 .688 ± 0 .137 and in oral squamous cell carcinoma group was 2 .835 ± 0 .0313 . This progressive increase in serum β 2 -m level was found to be highly significant (P value < 0 .001 ). Results of Receiver operating characteristic analysis showed β 2 -m as a 100 % sensitive and specific biomarker for oral squamous cell carcinoma .The present study establishes β 2 -m as a specific biological tumor marker for diagnostic and prognostic evaluation of oral squamous cell carcinoma .