• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
• /
• v.13 no.9
• /
• pp.4353-4356
• /
• 2012

Background: Tobacco consumption is one of the leading causes of oral submucous fibrosis, oral cancer and even premature death. The present study was designed to compare the biochemical parameters and non-enzymatic antioxidant status and the lipid peroxidation products in pan masala tobacco users as compared with age-matched non-user controls. Methods: Pan masala and tobacco users of age $33.2{\pm}9.94$ years and age-matched controls ($31.2{\pm}4.73$ years) were enrolled for the study. Plasma levels of vitamin E, vitamin C, albumin, bilirubin, uric acid, glucose, urea, creatinine, aspartate amino transferase (AST), alanine amino transferase (ALT) were measured by standard methods. Serum malondialdehyde (MDA) levels were estimated as a measure of lipid peroxidation. Results: In the pan masala tobacco users, as compared to the controls, the level of vitamin C ($68.5{\pm}5.9$ vs $97.9{\pm}9.03{\mu}mol/L$, $p{\leq}0.05$) vitamin E ($18.4{\pm}5.3$ vs $97.9{\pm}9.03{\mu}mol/L$, $p{\leq}0.001$), albumin ($37.5{\pm}7.01$ vs $44.3{\pm}9.99g/L$, $p{\leq}0.001$), and malondialdehyde ($10.8{\pm}1.29$ vs $1.72{\pm}1.15nmol/ml$, $p{\leq}0.001$) were found to be significantly altered. Malondialdehyde was significantly correlated with vitamin E (r=1.00, p<0.001) and vitamin C (r=1.00, p<0.001) in pan masala tobacco users. Serum levels of AST ($31.0{\pm}16.77$ IU) and ALT ($36.7{\pm}31.3$ IU) in the pan masala tobacco users were significantly raised as compared to the controls (AST, $25.2{\pm}9.51$ IU, p=0.038; ALT, $26.2{\pm}17.9$ IU, p=0.038). Conclusion: These findings suggest that pan masala tobacco users are in a state of oxidative stress promoting cellular damage. Non-enzymatic antioxidants are depleted in pan masala tobacco users with subsequent alteration in the biochemical parameters. Supplementation of antioxidants may prevent oxidative damage in pan masala tobacco users.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
• /
• v.15 no.24
• /
• pp.10991-10992
• /
• 2015

Tobacco is a well known cause of death worldwide. With existing comprehensive laws and various other measures for tobacco control, the mortality and morbidity due to tobacco usage have unfortunately not been reduced. A large number of tobacco users have altered their pattern of tobacco use after the gutka ban. Traditional gutka is sold in the open market in a pre-mixed format. Manufacturers are supplying pan masala and tobacco in separate pouches as there is no restriction for sale of pan masala and tobacco individually in many states. Although most of the population is aware of the health hazards of tobacco, it is necessary to develop an effective structured strategy. Tobacco control programs need to be strengthened by separate tobacco control measures at various levels.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
• /
• v.16 no.16
• /
• pp.7077-7084
• /
• 2015

Background: Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is the most prevalent malignancy among males in India. While tobacco and alcohol are main aetiological factors, human papilloma virus (HPV) presence has surprisingly increased in head and neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma (HNSCC) in the past two decade but its frequency in OSCCS is still uncertain. We aim to explore the frequency of HPV and its major genotypes in North Indian patients and their association with clinicopathological and histopathological features and p16 expression pattern. Materials and Methods: The study group comprised 250 histologically proven cases of OSCC. HPV was detected by real time PCR in tumor biopsy specimens and confirmed by conventional PCR with PGMY09/PGMY11 primers. Genotyping for high-risk types 16/18 was conducted by type specific PCR. p16 expression was assessed by immunohistochemsitry. Results: HPV presence was confirmed in 23/250 (9.2%) OSCC cases, of which 30.4% had HPV 16 infection, 17.4%were positive for HPV 18 and 26.1% had co-infections. HPV presence was significantly associated with male gender (p=0.02) and habit of pan masala chewing (p=0.01). HPV positive cases also had a history of tobacco consumption in 91.3% cases. p16 over expression was observed in 39.1% of HPV positive cases but this was not significantly different from negative cases (p=0.54). Conclusions: The frequency of HPV in OSCC is low in North-India and majority of cases are associated with a tobacco habit. It appears that tobacco shows a confounding effect in HPV positive cases and use of p16 protein as a reliable marker to assess the potential etiological role of HPV in OSCC in our population is not suggested.