Plasma cytokine profiles in oral and oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma

Head and neck cancers, including oral and oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinomas (SCC), impact significant global health challenges. This study aimed to evaluate plasma cytokine profiles in patients with oral and oropharyngeal SCC compared to healthy donors to explore potential diagnostic biomarkers. Plasma samples from 18 healthy donors, 11 oral cancer patients, and 11 oropharyngeal cancer patients were analysed using LEGENDplex™ multiplex assays to quantify 49 cytokines and inflammatory proteins. Statistical analysis, including Mann-Whitney U test and ROC curve analysis, was performed to assess diagnostic utility. sFasL levels were significantly downregulated in cancer patients, whereas PECAM-1, FGF-basic, EPO, PDGF-AA, and PDGF-BB levels were upregulated. Combined analysis of PDGF-AA and PDGF-BB achieved a sensitivity of 98.38% and specificity of 73.87% for oral cancer diagnosis. PECAM-1 demonstrated 100% sensitivity for detecting oropharyngeal cancer. These preliminary findings suggest that alterations in plasma levels of sFasL, PECAM-1, FGF-basic, EPO, PDGF-AA, and PDGF-BB suggest their potential as early diagnostic markers for oral and oropharyngeal SCC. Larger cohort studies are warranted to validate these findings and to develop screening strategies for head and neck cancers. The study protocol was approved by the Institutional Review Board of the Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University (IRB 810/62, Bangkok, Thailand) and adhered to the Declaration of Helsinki. Written informed consent was obtained from all participants.