Salivary neopterin concentrations in patients with cancer of the oral cavity

Authors

PINK Richard MELICHAR Bohuslav TOMANDL Josef BLAŽKOVÁ Lenka TVRDÝ Peter ZAPLETALOVÁ Jana

Year of publication 2016
Type Article in Periodical
Magazine / Source Pteridines
MU Faculty or unit

Faculty of Medicine

Citation
Doi http://dx.doi.org/10.1515/pterid-2015-0017
Field Biochemistry
Keywords head and neck cancer; neopterin; saliva
Description Tumors of the oral cavity are relatively common malignancies with a poor prognosis. Use of both prognostic and predictive biomarkers in saliva represents one approach to improve the management of patients with these cancers. The aim of the present study was to measure salivary neopterin concentrations before and after surgery in patients with oropharyngeal cancer to assess potential use as a biomarker in clinical practice. Salivary neopterin concentration was determined before and after surgery in 16 patients treated for oropharyngeal cancer and compared with 15 healthy volunteers. Salivary neopterin concentrations were significantly higher in patients before surgery compared to the healthy controls. After the surgery, neopterin concentrations decreased significantly, and concentrations in patients and controls were comparable. A significant correlation was observed between the sum of the Community Periodontal Index of Treatment Needs values and salivary neopterin concentrations. In conclusion, tumor removal results in significant decrease of salivary neopterin concentrations. The use of salivary neopterin in diagnosis is compounded by an association with periodontal disease.

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