Estimation of serum ferritin level in potentially malignant disorders, oral squamous cell carcinoma, and treated cases of oral squamous cell carcinoma.

INTRODUCTION: Serum ferritin is the best indicator of iron stores in the body. The level of serum ferritin was found to be elevated in number of malignancies. Serum ferritin is also been established as prognostic marker for malignant lymphoma, cervical cancer, breast cancer, etc.

AIMS AND OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study is to evaluate the level of serum ferritin in patients with pretreatment and posttreatment of squamous cell carcinoma and to determine the significance of serum ferritin as prognostic marker for oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC).

MATERIALS AND METHODS: Blood samples of 15 normal, thirty potentially malignant lesions, and thirty patients of squamous cell carcinoma were taken and analyzed for serum ferritin using ELISA. Of thirty patients, 15 patients were followed up till 6 months after their treatment and serum ferritin was again determined.

RESULTS: The average serum ferritin of 30 potentially malignant disorders was 62.70 ng/ml, and thirty patients with squamous cell carcinoma were found to be 162.47 ng/dl. After 6 months of the treatment, the mean fall in serum ferritin with nonrecurrence patients was 84 ng/dl and increase in the serum ferritin in recurrence cases was 13.4 ng/dl.

CONCLUSION: Determining serum ferritin is a convenient and nonexpensive method to determine the outcome of the treatment of the cases with OSCC. Its potential as prognostic marker could not be overlooked.