Salivary Biomarkers for Prostate Cancer: A Case-Control Study of PSA and S100P in Iranian Men

Objectives: Early detection of prostate disease is crucial, yet current diagnostic methods have limitations. The S100P protein and saliva sampling present potential non-invasive diagnostic options. This study aimed to evaluate S100P and PSA as biomarkers for prostate cancer (PC) and to differentiate PC from benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). Additionally, it examined the suitability of saliva as a diagnostic medium for prostate disease. Methods: This case-control study included 100 Iranian men aged 50 to 65 years, divided into two groups: 50 men with PC and 50 men with BPH. Serum and saliva samples were collected from each participant after obtaining informed consent. Serum and salivary PSA and S100P levels were measured using ELISA kits. The Mann–Whitney U test, Spearman’s correlation coefficients, and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis were applied to evaluate the data. Results: Salivary and serum PSA and S100P levels were significantly higher in men with PC than in those with BPH (P < 0.001). A strong positive correlation was observed between serum and salivary levels of both biomarkers in both groups (P < 0.001). ROC curve analysis indicated that salivary PSA and S100P levels could effectively distinguish PC from BPH. Conclusion: Salivary PSA and S100P show promise as non-invasive biomarkers for PC detection and differentiation from BPH. Further research with larger cohorts is needed to validate these findings and confirm the clinical utility of salivary PSA and S100P in PC and BPH diagnosis and management.