Salivary RNA signatures in oral cancer detection.

Prashanth Panta,Venkat Raghavender Venna

doi:10.1155/2014/450629

Abstract

Oral squamous cell carcinomas (OSCC) are common malignancies that affect almost a million people every year. The key issue in reducing mortality and morbidity associated with OSCC is to develop novel strategies to identify OSCC at an early stage. One such strategy is the identification of biomarkers. So far, more than 100 biomarkers are recognized in the detection of oral cancer and they range from proteins to nucleic acids (DNAs, RNAs). Detection of ribose nucleic acids in saliva is a recent trend in diagnosing oral cancer. Studies have shown statistically significant changes in the levels of salivary transcriptomes in patients with oral squamous cell carcinomas. These biomarkers have displayed high sensitivity and specificity. Also, new point-of-care platforms such as oral fluid nanosensor test are now available that will soon emerge as chair-side tools for early detection of oral cancer. The aim of this review is to highlight the importance of salivary transcriptomes in oral cancer detection.

Highlights

Saliva is a reservoir of innumerable biomolecules whose levels reflect systemic health and disease status
The first report of saliva as a diagnostic medium for oral cancer was published by Liao et al who identified mutations in exon4, condon63 of p53, in 5 out of 8 patients with oral squamous cell carcinoma [5]
We present the importance of ribose nucleic acids in saliva and their role as biomarkers in the diagnosis of oral squamous cell carcinoma

Summary

Introduction

Saliva is a reservoir of innumerable biomolecules whose levels reflect systemic health and disease status. Saliva can be considered as a mirror of body health [1]. Squamous cell carcinomas of the oral cavity are common malignancies. The first report of saliva as a diagnostic medium for oral cancer was published by Liao et al who identified mutations in exon, condon of p53, in 5 out of 8 patients with oral squamous cell carcinoma [5]. Saliva can be utilized for early detection of oral cancer as this body fluid maintains continuous contact with these lesions. Diagnosis of OSCC is currently based on biopsy test, which is an invasive method. There is a need for developing a noninvasive screening tool (biomarker test) for early detection of squamous cell carcinoma (Figure 1)

Objectives

Methods

Findings

Conclusion