ORIGINAL ARTICLES   

Chirurgia 2009 February;22(1):9-12

Copyright © 2009 EDIZIONI MINERVA MEDICA

language: English

Local immunity and inflammation in patients with oral squamous cell carcinoma and parotid tumor

Krasteva A. ¹, Ivanova A. ², Aleksiev E. ³, Altankova I. ⁴, Bocheva S. ⁴, Kisselova A. ¹

¹ Department of Oral Diagnostic and Maxillofacial Radiology Faculty of Dental Medicine, Medical University, Sofia, Bulgaria 2 Laboratory of Molecular Diagnostic Clinic of Gastroenterology, University Hospital “St. Iv. Rilski”, Medical University, Sofia, Bulgaria 3 Specialized Hospital for Active Treatment in Maxillofacial Surgery Faculty of Dental Medicine, Medical University, Sofia, Bulgaria 4 Laboratory of Immunology, University Hospital “St. Iv. Rilski” Medical University, Sofia, Bulgaria

Aim. Saliva analysis holds promise as a non-invasive method to identify biomarkers for human oral cancer, a high impact local disease in the oral cavity affecting 38,000 Americans and with 350,000 cases worldwide annually. The noninvasive nature of salivary testing has made it an attractive and effective alternative to blood and urine testing. Saliva levels of immunoglobulins and acute phase proteins may have prognostic significance in cancer diagnostics. IgA levels in saliva may prove useful in distinguishing patients with possible recurrent disease. The aim of the study was to evaluate the oral inflammatory and local humoral immune response (total protein, IgA, IgG, CRP, haptoglobin) in patients with oral squamous cell carcinoma, patients with parotid tumor and control subjects.
Methods. Salivary total protein, IgA, IgG, CRP and haptoglobin were evaluated in 13 patients with oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC), 12 patients with parotid tumor and 14 control subject.
Results. Salivary IgA and CRP levels in saliva were not significantly different between patients with OSCC, patients with parotid tumor and control group. Elevated levels of salivary total protein, IgG and haptoglobin in patients with OSCC when compared to the healthy controls were found (p<0,05). A significant correlation between age/haptoglobin, CRP/IgG and IgA/total protein was observed.
Conclusion. The elevated saliva levels of IgG, haptoglobin and total protein appeared to be related to histological type of the tumor.