Prabhu K, Naik D, Ray S, Rao A, Kamath A
Department of Biochemistry Kasturba Medical College, Manipal, Manipal University, India.
Australas Med J. 2011;4(7):374-8. doi: 10.4066/AMJ.2011.569. Epub 2011 Jul 31.
Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is a relatively common epithelial malignancy, and thus represents a significant public health problem. Early detection improves quality of life for affected patients. Identification of molecular markers (or biomarkers) which can predict disease progression is necessary for better management of these disorders. A correlation of cholinesterase with tumourigenesis, cell proliferation and cell differentiation has been observed. Butyrylcholinesterase (BChE; pseudocholinesterase) has been shown to be a biochemical marker for cervical cancer which is also an epithelial malignancy. In this study, we sought to estimate and compare serum BChE levels in healthy controls and patients with biopsy-proven oral squamous cell cancer (also an epithelial malignancy) before definitive therapy as radiotherapy or chemotherapy may alter the levels of BChE and may act as a confounding variable.
After obtaining consent from biopsy proven oral cancer patients (n= 39) (before onset of any definitive treatment), and from age- and sex-matched healthy controls (n = 20), 2ml of blood was collected. After clot formation samples were centrifuged, serum was collected for estimation of BChE.
Pre-treatment serum BChE levels were significantly elevated (p < 0.0001) in oral cancer patients compared to that of controls. BChE levels showed a significant increase (p = 0.005) with advancing stage in oral cancer patients.
Our results show there could be a role for serum BChE in determining the prognosis of oral cancer.
口腔鳞状细胞癌（OSCC）是一种相对常见的上皮性恶性肿瘤，因此是一个重大的公共卫生问题。早期检测可改善受影响患者的生活质量。识别能够预测疾病进展的分子标志物（或生物标志物）对于更好地管理这些疾病至关重要。已观察到胆碱酯酶与肿瘤发生、细胞增殖和细胞分化之间存在关联。丁酰胆碱酯酶（BChE；假性胆碱酯酶）已被证明是宫颈癌的一种生化标志物，宫颈癌也是一种上皮性恶性肿瘤。在本研究中，我们试图估计并比较健康对照者以及经活检证实的口腔鳞状细胞癌患者（也是一种上皮性恶性肿瘤）在进行确定性治疗（如放疗或化疗，因为这些治疗可能会改变BChE水平并可能成为一个混杂变量）之前的血清BChE水平。
在获得经活检证实的口腔癌患者（n = 39）（在任何确定性治疗开始前）以及年龄和性别匹配的健康对照者（n = 20）的同意后，采集2ml血液。血液凝固后，对样本进行离心，收集血清以测定BChE。
与对照组相比，口腔癌患者治疗前的血清BChE水平显著升高（p < 0.0001）。在口腔癌患者中，BChE水平随着疾病分期的进展而显著升高（p = 0.005）。
我们的结果表明血清BChE可能在确定口腔癌的预后中发挥作用。
