Abstract
Background: Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is a devastating disease that is usually associated with a dense associated inflammatory infiltrate. Characterizing tumor-associated inflammation is critical to understand the pathogenies of tumor development and progression.Methods: We have tested a protocol to analyze tissue and salivary immune cells and mediators of 37 patients with OSCC at different stages and compared to eight chronic periodontitis patients and 24 healthy controls. Tissue analysis was based on fluorescent immunohistochemistry (FIHC) and inflammatory mediators were analyzed using a Luminex-based 30-Plex panel. Immune cells were analyzed using multichannel flow cytometry including CD45, CD66b, CD3, CD4, CD8, CD25, CD56, CD68, CD138, PD-1, and PD-L1.Results: We show an increase in OSCC-associated inflammation characterized by increased pro-inflammatory cytokines including IL-6, IL-8, TNFα, and GMCSF and increased salivary immune cells.Conclusion: We described a new method to analyze salivary inflammatory markers that can be used in future studies to monitor disease progression and prognosis.
Highlights
Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is a neoplasm with squamous differentiation arising from the mucosal epithelium of the oral cavity [1] and accounts for 75–90% of malignant tumors in this anatomical location [1, 2]
We show an increase in OSCC-associated inflammation characterized by increased pro-inflammatory cytokines including IL-6, IL-8, TNFα, and GMCSF and increased salivary immune cells
We have previously found a five-fold increase in neutrophils and T-cells in tissue samples and a 10fold increase in pro-inflammatory cytokines, TNFα in saliva of OSCC patients compared to healthy controls [10, 11]
Summary
Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is a neoplasm with squamous differentiation arising from the mucosal epithelium of the oral cavity [1] and accounts for 75–90% of malignant tumors in this anatomical location [1, 2]. It is associated with significant morbidity and mortality because of the importance of oral tissues in chewing, swallowing, speaking, and facial appearances [3]. Understanding the pathogenesis of OSCC is critical for early detection and to improve clinical outcomes. Characterizing tumor-associated inflammation is critical to understand the pathogenies of tumor development and progression
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