Higher serum homocysteine level and frequency of hyperhomocysteinemia in carcinoembryonic antigen-positive or squamous cell carcinoma-antigen-positive oral leukoplakia patients

Background/purpose Our previous study found significantly lower serum hematinic levels and higher serum homocysteine level as well as higher frequencies of serum hematinic deficiencies and hyperhomocysteinemia in oral leukoplakia (OL) patients than in healthy control subjects. This study evaluated whether carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA)-positive or squamous cell carcinoma-antigen (SCC–Ag)-positive OL patients had significantly lower serum hematinic levels and higher serum homocysteine level as well as significantly higher frequencies of hematinic deficiencies and hyperhomocysteinemia than CEA-negative or SCC-Ag-negative OL patients or healthy control subjects. Methods The complete blood count, serum iron, vitamin B12, folic acid, and homocysteine levels in 184 OL patients including 85 CEA-positive, 99 CEA-negative, 25 SCC-Ag-positive, and 159 SCC-Ag-negative OL patients and in 184 age- and sex-matched healthy control subjects were measured and compared. Results We found that the 85 CEA-positive or 25 SCC-Ag-positive OL patients had a significantly lower mean serum folic acid level and a significantly higher mean serum homocysteine level as well as significantly higher frequencies of serum folic acid deficiency and hyperhomocysteinemia than 184 healthy control subjects. Moreover, the 25 SCC-Ag-positive OL patients had a significantly higher mean serum homocysteine level than the 159 SCC-Ag-negative OL patients. The 85 CEA-positive OL patients had a higher mean serum homocysteine level and a higher frequency of hyperhomocysteinemia than 99 CEA-negative OL patients (marginally significant, P = 0.060). Conclusion CEA-positive or SCC-Ag-positive OL patients tend to have a higher mean serum homocysteine level and a higher frequency of hyperhomocysteinemia than CEA-negative or SCC-Ag-negative OL patients, respectively.