Objectives: The aim of this study was to compare the concentration of tumor necrosis factor alpha, interleukin 1 alpha, 6, and 8 in the saliva of oral squamous cell carcinoma patients with control group.
Study design: In this study 18 subjects were involved, nine patients with oral squamous cell carcinomas and nine age-sex-matched healthy individuals that were matched for gingival conditions too. Active dental abscesses, collagen vascular diseases, and infectious diseases during one month before saliva sampling were considered as exclusion criteria. Unstimulated whole saliva was collected and after processing the samples were analyzed by Enzyme Linked Immune Assay.
Results: The concentration of salivary interleukin 6 in oral squamous cell carcinoma patients was higher than control group and it was statistically significant (p < 0.05). The concentration of salivary tumor necrosis factor alpha, interleukin 1 alpha and 8 in case group was higher than control group but it was not statistically significant (p > 0.05).
Conclusions: These results shows that more studies are needed to accept the utility of these cytokines in predicting or diagnosis of oral squamous cell carcinoma or evaluation of treatment.