ISSN : 2663-2187

Salivary Diagnostics: A Non-Invasive Approach to Oral Cancer Detection in Pakistan

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Dr. Rabiya Saif, Dr. Ammara Anwar, Dr. Tayyaba Rafiq, Dr. Rummana Aqeel, Dr. Mariyah Javed, Dr. Shaher Bano
» doi: 10.48047/AFJBS.6.15.2024.14479-14486

Abstract

Background: Due to late-stage diagnosis and restricted access to invasive diagnostic methods, oral cancer presents a serious public health concern in Pakistan. Objective: The study's goal was to assess salivary diagnostics' efficacy as a non-invasive approach for the early identification of oral cancer in Pakistan, with a particular emphasis on how well it may replace traditional biopsy techniques. Methodology: The Sharif Medical and Dental College in Lahore, Pakistan, conducted this cross-sectional observational research from January to December of 2023. There were 50 healthy controls and 150 patients with clinically suspected oral cancer. enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and Polymerase Chain Reaction methods were used to assess the amounts of protein, RNA, and DNA in saliva samples. To assess how well these biomarkers functioned as diagnostic tools, statistical studies were carried out, including sensitivity, specificity, and Receiver Operating Characteristic curve analysis. Results: Among the 150 oral cancer patients, 92 (61.33%) were male and 58 (38.67%) were female. Salivary biomarkers showed significantly higher levels in oral cancer patients compared to healthy controls (DNA: 150.23 ± 45.67 ng/mL vs. 85.21 ± 20.34 ng/mL, RNA: 200.45 ± 55.12 ng/mL vs. 95.43 ± 22.87 ng/mL, Protein: 70.12 ± 30.45 µg/mL vs. 30.23 ± 15.67 µg/mL) with p-values <0.001. Diagnostic performance was high, with AUC values of 0.92 for DNA, 0.90 for RNA, and 0.88 for protein. Conclusion: Salivary biomarkers are significantly elevated in oral cancer patients and show high diagnostic accuracy, suggesting their potential as a non-invasive tool for early cancer finding in Pakistan.

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