Serum glycoproteins and prognosis in cancer of the head and neck

Alpha 1 acid glycoprotein, alpha 1 antitrypsin, haptoglobin, alpha 2 HS glycoprotein and prealbumin were studied in 44 patients with cancer of the head and neck and in a control group. The three primary glycoproteins were considerably elevated in the patients, particularly in stage IV. In the group of patients who died before 30 months after treatment the haptoglobin was significantly elevated compared to those who survived beyond this point. Only values for the alpha 1 acid glycoprotein greater than 150 mg/dl were a prognostic factor of similar precision to that of stage IV. This correlation could not be shown for the other glycoproteins.