Serum and salivary levels of polyamines as potential biomarkers in the diagnosis of oral squamous cell carcinoma

Abstract EN

Back ground : Oral cancer is one of the prevalent cancers of the body and is one of the 10 most common causes of death.

Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) accounts for over 90 % of these tumors.

The aim of this study was designed to detect biochemical markers in serum and saliva of oral squamous cell carcinoma patients and to evaluate their validity in monitoring and diagnosis.

Patients and Methods: The level of polyamines in the serum and saliva of (30) patients with OSCC and (20) healthy individuals as control group was measured.

Polyamines (spermidine and spermine) were determined by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) in both serum and saliva of patients with OSCC and control group.

Results : the total serum and salivary polyamines level of OSCC were significantly higher than the control group (P < 0.001).

Both salivary and serum polyamines level were reliably accurate test in separating between OSCC patients and control group since the area under the ROC curve for both serum and salivary polyamines was one which is significantly higher (different ) from that of an equivocal test of 0.5.

There was significant difference in salivary spermine level among OSCC patients in relation to lesion status.

Spermine levels were reduced in recurrent lesion especially with metastases.

There were significant differences in serum polyamines level among OSCC patients in relation to duration of the disease (P < 0.05).

Conclusion : from the results of the presents study, it can be concluded that detection of polyamines in serum and saliva are useful and valuable diagnostic markers in diagnosis and early detection of OSCC.