The development of several life-long diseases, such as coronary heart disease, is affected by low-grade systemic inflammation. Data on the potential long-term health effects of chronic tonsillitis are limited. Many inflammatory conditions present with enhanced systemic matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-8 response. In head and neck cancer, high plasma level of tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase (TIMP)-1 predicts poor prognosis. We analyzed S-MMP-8 with immunofluorometric assay and S-TIMP-1 with an immunosorbent assay in 175 consecutive patients undergoing tonsillectomy for benign tonsillar disease, and in 33 control patients with tonsillar squamous cell carcinoma. Tonsillar human papillomavirus (HPV) status was determined by PCR. In patients with benign tonsillar disease, chronic tonsillitis without hypertrophy was associated with enhanced systemic MMP-8 response. Compared to patients with benign tonsillar disease, patients with tonsillar squamous cell carcinoma had significantly higher concentrations of S-MMP-8 and S-TIMP-1. Neither S-MMP-8 nor S-TIMP-1 correlated with tonsillar HPV positivity.
Keywords: HPV; Head and neck cancer; MMP-8; TIMP-1; tonsillitis.