Background: This study was conducted to determine levels of lipid peroxidation and antioxidant vitamin status in patients with oral cavity and oropharyngeal cancer.
Methods: The study group consisted of a total number of 80 subjects between the age 40-68 years, 40 with clinically and histopathologically proved cases of oral cavity and oropharyngeal cancer and 40 normal healthy, age and sex matched volunteers as controls. Levels of lipid peroxidation products as malondialdehyde (MDA) and antioxidant vitamins as vitamin A and vitamin C were estimated and compared between the two groups.
Results: There was a statistical significant difference in the mean MDA, plasma vitamin A and vitamin C in the oral and oropharyngeal cancer patients compared with the healthy controls (p<0.0001).
Conclusions: Lipid peroxidation (MDA) is higher and plasma antioxidant vitamins like vitamin A and vitamin C were lower in oral cavity and oropharyngeal cancer patients than healthy controls.