Increased Cyfra 21-1 concentration in saliva from primary oral squamous cell carcinoma patients

Background is the body fluid in the oral cavity and contacts directly with oral mucosa. As a detective media, it is acceptable and non-traumatic. Cyfra 21-1, being the soluble fragment of cytokeratin 19(CK19), correlates well with oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC). ive estigate the saliva Cyfra 21-1 concentrations in OSCC patients and healthy persons, and the correlation between the Cyfra 21-1 concentration in saliva and the CK19 expression in tissue from OSCC patients. Cyfra 21-1 concentration was detected by ELISA in 30 OSCC patients and 30 healthy persons; CK19 protein expression and CK19 mRNA level were, respectively, detected by immunohistochemistry and fluorescent real-time RT-PCR in cancerous and paracancerous tissues from 33 OSCC patients. s Cyfra 21-1 concentration in OSCC patients (85.95 ± 78.00 μg/L) was significantly higher than that in healthy persons (42.27 ± 40.84 μg/L) (P = 0.009); it was also significantly higher in the patients suffering later tumour recurrence (130.95 ± 66.38 μg/L) than that in the patients without tumour recurrence (74.84 ± 63.45 μg/L) (P = 0.023). CK19 protein expression increased significantly in OSCC tissues (P < 0.001) with positive rate of 90.9%, CK19 mRNA level in cancerous tissues was 2.21 folds higher than that in paracancerous tissues (P = 0.020); significant correlation was found between tissue CK19 protein expression and tissue CK19 mRNA level (P = 0.003), and great correlation was found between tissue CK19 protein expression and saliva Cyfra 21-1 concentration (P = 0.051). sions creased CK19 expression in OSCC tissues plays an important role in the increase of saliva Cyfra 21-1 concentration. Potential clinical value of saliva Cyfra 21-1 detection is suggested for OSCC. Further studies are encouraged to reveal the real diagnostic and prognostic value of detecting saliva Cyfra 21-1 concentration for OSCC.