Salivary metabolomics and oral carcinogenesis

Abstract

Cancers of the oral cavity has received reasonable importance especially in developing countries due to its significant morbidity and mortality rates. Oral squamous cell carcinoma is the common type of cancer occurring either de novo or from pre-existing potentially malignant disorders like leukoplakia. Ever since the disease has been identified, efforts are made to understand its pathogenesis with an aim to identify methods for early diagnosis, evolve appropriate treatment strategies and improve prognosis. Though tobacco, alcohol and microbes are considered important risk factors for OSCC; these are usually accompanied by various genetic and epigenetic changes. Modern analytical technologies provide comprehensive methods for identification of these molecular changes which can serve as an important biomarker. Metabolomics forms a part of ‘omic’ group that also includes genomics, proteomics and transcriptomics which is associated with the identification and quantitation of small molecules involved in metabolic reactions. The identification of a wide range of metabolites in bodily fluids is considered as an important diagnostic tool for assessment of disease biomarkers. The role of saliva as an important diagnostic tool for biomarker analysis has been accepted as a safe alternative to blood owing to its easy and non-invasive nature of collection and its close proximity to the oral lesions. This review provides an overview of the use of salivary metabolomics in OSCC and presents the current literature findings and future implications.