Comparison of Salivary and Serum Soluble CD44 Levels between Patients with Oral SCC and Healthy Controls

Abstract

Background: The most common type of oral cancer is oral squamous cell carcinoma. If it is diagnosed in the early<br />stages; the success of the treatment can be increased. It seems that ELISA-based techniques as a screening tool for<br />society are the most cost-effective methods for early diagnosis. CD44 is a key marker for the detection of SCC stem<br />cells. The aim of this study was to compare the level of soluble CD44 in saliva and serum between patients with oral<br />SCC and healthy controls. Materials and Methods: Saliva and serum were collected from 20 patients with primary<br />OSCC and 20 healthy persons as control group. The samples were evaluated by an ELISA test kit. Data were analyzed<br />by SPSS software version 22, chi-square, ANOVA, T-test and Spearman correlation test. Results: The mean of soluble<br />CD44 level in serum and saliva of the patient and control groups are 531.51±228.95 and 453.3±113.74 (for serum)<br />and 48.53±59.02 and 17.76±39.14 (for saliva) respectively. There was no statistically significant difference in serum<br />and saliva solCD44 level between the patient and control groups (P value = 0.182 and P value = 0.061 respectively).<br />Also, there was no significant correlation between the solCD44 level in each patient and control group in serum (P<br />value = 0.61) and in saliva (P value = 0.445). Conclusions: Determination of solCD44 level in saliva and serum can<br />be a useful method for diagnosis the person's involvement with cancer cells and the cancer in the early stages. But<br />according to the controversial outcomes of past studies, larger and more accurate studies are needed in groups with<br />more cases of oral cancer.