Serum Endostatin Levels in Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma.

INTRODUCTION: Endostatin is a C-terminal proteolytic fragment of collagen XVIII and, as with angiostatin and thrombospondin, is known as an antiangiogenic agent. The aim of this study was to assess the level of serum endostatin in patients with oral squamous cell carcinoma (SCC), and its association with the clinicopathological characteristics of the tumor. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) kit, we investigated the circulating levels of endostatin in the blood serum of 45 patients with oral SCC and 45 healthy controls. RESULTS: The mean level of serum endostatin in patients was significantly lower (68.8±85 ng/ml) than in healthy controls (175.6±73 ng/ml) (P<0.001). Serum endostatin levels were significantly lower in patients with lymph node metastasis compared with patients without lymph node metastasis (P<0.001). In addition, serum endostatin level was associated with higher histological grade (P<0.001). There were no apparent correlations between serum endostatin concentration and clinicopathological features such as age, gender, and tumor stage (P>0.05). CONCLUSION: Findings of the present study suggest the prognostic and anti-metastatic role of endostatin, and this may be used as a tool for monitoring tumor progression.