Abstract
Delayed diagnosis of oral cavity and oropharyngeal cancer is associated with a poor prognosis. Despite progress in systemic therapy and radiotherapy, there has only been a slight improvement in the five-year survival rate. A non-invasive diagnostic method that consists of an assessment of specific proteins in saliva samples may significantly facilitate assessment of treatment results in patients diagnosed with oral and oropharyngeal cancer. The aim of this study was to assess the levels of IL-17 and TNF-α in the saliva of patients with oral and oropharyngeal cancer. The study was conducted prior to treatment in patients hospitalized in the Frederic Chopin Provincial Specialist Hospital No. 1 in Rzeszów, Poland. Saliva samples were collected from subjects on an empty stomach. Cytokine concentrations in the saliva were measured with ELISA and Luminex Multiplex Assays. The higher salivary concentrations of IL-17A, IL-17F, and TNF-α were significantly associated with disease advancement. Lower levels of IL-17A were associated with colonization of the oral cavity with aerobic bacteria. On the other hand, higher concentration of TNF-α was observed in patients with positive aerobic culture of oral swabs. Our results suggest that IL-17A, IL-17F, and TNF-α measured in the saliva may be a potential biomarker for cancer of the oral cavity and oropharynx.
Highlights
A poor prognosis of oral cavity and oropharyngeal cancer is associated with delayed diagnosis, and there is a lack of reliable biomarkers for these diseases
The concentrations of IL17A, IL-17F, IL-17E/IL-25, and TNF-α in saliva samples in the patients diagnosed with oral and oropharyngeal cancer was correlated with the disease stage as well as with T, N, and M parameters separately
We noticed that salivary concentrations of IL-17A, IL-17F, and TNF-α were highest in stage IV patients and lowest in stage I or II patients
Summary
A poor prognosis of oral cavity and oropharyngeal cancer is associated with delayed diagnosis, and there is a lack of reliable biomarkers for these diseases. Over 350,000 new cases are diagnosed and almost 180,000 deaths are reported due to oral cancer, making this disease a significant worldwide health problem [1]. Delayed cancer diagnosis is a factor contributing to the low survival rate. Patients with specific risk factors for oral cancer, such as smoking, excessive alcohol consumption, and human papillomavirus infection, should regularly assess their oral condition as a part of preventive examinations. Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is the most commonly diagnosed head and neck cancer and its incidence has increased in recent decades. OSCC prevalence among women and young or middle age men has been increasing [2]. Despite the progress in systemic therapy and radiotherapy, there has been only a slight
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