Oral fluid properties in children with head and neck malignant tumors

Abstract

The aim of the present study was to estimate the relationship between TNF-α level and degree of microcrystallization (DMC) of oral fluid (OF) in children with malignant tumors in the head and neck region (HNR). In the case-control study, 72 children aged between 1 and 18 were included, divided into 2 identical groups according to structure. The research group (L1) consisted of 36 children with malignant tumors in the HNR. 36 conventionally healthy children were included in the control group (L0). We studied the combined biomarkers in OF samplesmorphological biomarkers (DMC of OF) and TNF-α cytokine level in OF in children with malignant tumors in HNR and conventionally healthy subjects. TNF-α in OF was evaluated by the immunoenzymatic analysis method. The analysis of the results of the study elucidated the increased level of TNF-α, in the OF of children with malignant tumors, compared to healthy subjects. Correlational analysis detected the significant inverse relationship (r=-0.83, р<0.01) between TNF-α level and DMC of OF in children with malignant tumors in RCG in I and II stages. At the same time, in conventionally healthy children, but also in children with malignant tumors in III and IV stages, the interdependence between the level of TNF-α in OF and DMC of OF was not observed.Conclusions. The assessment of combined biomarkers in OF samples (TNF-α level and morphological particularities) represents an innovative non-invasive analysis for the early detection of tumors and the assessment of the risk of oral malignancy. For the clinical use of OF biomarkers, it is necessaryto develop standardized protocols and to perform extensive studies in which the influence of various confounding variables is excluded.