A comparative study to evaluate salivary biomarker interleukin-6 in oral squamous cell carcinoma and oral potentially malignant disorders
Keywords:
Oral squamous cell carcinoma, oral potentially malignant disorders, salivary biomarker, interleukin-6, early diagnosis, non-invasive biomarker.Abstract
Background: Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is a major global health concern, with a rising incidence and mortality rate. Salivary biomarkers, particularly interleukin-6 (IL-6), have gained attention for their potential in early diagnosis and monitoring of oral potentially malignant disorders (OPMDs) and OSCC. This study aimed to compare salivary IL-6 levels in patients with OSCC, OPMDs, and healthy controls.
Materials and Methods: A total of 90 participants were recruited for this comparative study and divided into three groups: OSCC (n=30), OPMD (n=30), and healthy controls (n=30). Unstimulated saliva samples were collected, and IL-6 levels were quantified using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA).Statistical analysis was conducted using ANOVA and post-hoc Tukey tests to evaluate intergroup differences, with a significance level set at p<0.05.
Results: The mean salivary IL-6 levels were significantly higher in the OSCC group (12.5 ± 3.2 pg/mL) compared to the OPMD group (6.8 ± 2.1 pg/mL) and the control group (1.9 ± 0.6 pg/mL) (p<0.001). A positive correlation between salivary IL-6 levels and disease severity was observed in the OSCC and OPMD groups. The diagnostic accuracy of IL-6 was evaluated using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis, yielding an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.92 for OSCC versus controls and 0.85 for OPMDs versus controls.
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References
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