Serum immunoglobulins in squamous cell carcinoma of the oral cavity

Serum immunoglobulins (IgG, IgA, and IgM) have been studied in 70 patients with squamous cell carcinoma of oral cavity and in 40 age-matched normal controls. The results were correlated with clinical stage, tumor size, lymph node status, tumor differentiation, and treatment modalities. There was a significant rise in serum IgM and IgA in oral cancer patients as compared to controls. It was further raised in advanced clinical stage, but tumor size and histological differentiation and treatment modalities (surgery and chemotherapy) do not seem to affect serum immunoglobulin levels. The observations implies that the extension and dissemination of tumor mass is the important factor for the change in serum immunoglobulin level in squamous cell carcinoma of the oral cavity.