Evaluation of the Serum Levels of Osteopontin in Iranian Patients with Benign and Malignant Salivary Gland Tumors

Background: Osteopontin (OPN) is involved in various biological functions, including cancer pathogenesis and metastasis. However, its clinical value in salivary gland tumors (SGTs) has received little attention. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the connection between OPN serum levels and the clinicopathologic features of benign and malignant SGTs in Iranian patients. Methods: This cross-sectional study involved a total of 90 patients with SGTs, including malignant (n=60) and benign (n=30) cases. The control group consisted of 60 healthy individuals matched by age and sex to the patient group. An enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) kit was employed to quantify OPN serum levels in samples. Results: OPN serum levels were significantly elevated in patients compared to the control group (23.16±11.08 ng/mL vs. 10.61±4.99 ng/mL, P<0.0001). There were also significant differences in OPN serum levels between malignant and benign cases of SGT (26.64±11.73 ng/mL vs. 16.19±4.68 ng/mL, P<0.0001). Additionally, OPN concentration was significantly associated with the clinicopathologic characteristics of patients, including tumor size, tumor node metastasis (TNM) classification, and lymph node involvement, but not with patients’ gender, age, and the size and type of lesions. Conclusion: Based on the findings, OPN serum levels could be used as a supportive biomarker to diagnose SGTs and differentiate between benign and malignant cases. This is a preliminary study; therefore, additional research with a larger number of participants and extended monitoring periods is necessary to evaluate the potential of OPN in more effectively diagnosing SGTs in their early stages.