Estimation of serum leptin in oral squamous cell carcinoma

Background: Cachexia contributes significantly to mortality in cancer patients; role of cytokines in inducing cachexia is an emerging view. Leptin, a homologous protein of cytokine family, is found to be decreased in serum with cachexia. The purpose of this study was to compare serum leptin levels of oral squamous cell carcinoma patients with that of control group and correlate it with body mass index. Method: Serum samples of 31 oral squamous cell carcinoma patients and that of 28 healthy individuals were subjected to evaluation of serum leptin levels (ng/ml) using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Results: A significant reduction in leptin level of oral squamous cell carcinoma patients was observed. Definite correlation between body mass index and serum leptin and also between serum leptin levels of various histopathological variants of oral squamous cell carcinoma was observed. Conclusion: The results of this study suggest that evaluation of serum leptin level can provide status of cachexia in oral squamous cell carcinoma patients.