Attenuated Total Reflection-Fourier Transform Infrared (ATR-FTIR) Spectroscopy Analysis of Saliva as a Diagnostic Specimen for Rapid Classification of Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma Using Chemometrics Methods

Abstract

Background & Aim Recent advancements in analytical techniques have highlighted the potential of Attenuated Total Reflection-Fourier Transform Infrared (ATR-FTIR) spectroscopy as a quick, cost-effective, non-invasive, and efficient tool for cancer diagnosis. This study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of ATR-FTIR spectroscopy in combination with supervised machine learning classification models for diagnosing OSCC using saliva samples. Methods & Materials Eighty unstimulated whole saliva samples from OSCC patients and healthy controls were collected. The ATR-FTIR spectroscopy was performed and spectral data were used to classify healthy and OSCC groups. The data were analyzed using machine learning classification methods such as Partial Least Squares-Discriminant Analysis (PLS-DA) and Support Vector Machine Classification (SVM-C). The classification performance of the models was evaluated by computing sensitivity, specificity, precision, and accuracy. Results The samples were classified into two classes based on their spectral data. The obtained results demonstrate a high level of accuracy in the prediction sets of the PLS-DA and SVM-C models, with accuracy values of 0.960 and 0.962, respectively. The OSCC group sensitivity values for both PLS-DA and SVM-C models was 1.00, respectively. Conclusion The study indicates that ATR-FTIR spectroscopy, combined with chemometrics, is a potential method for the non-invasive diagnosis of OSCC using saliva samples. This method achieved high accuracy and the findings of this study suggest that ATR-FTIR spectroscopy could be further developed for clinical applications in OSCC diagnosis.