Salivary metabolomics in oral potentially malignant disorders and oral cancer patients —a systematic review with meta-analysis

ConclusionEvidence for N-acetylglucosamine as a salivary biomarker for oral cancer is lacking. Although several salivary metabolites show changes between healthy, OPMDs, and OC, their diagnostic potential cannot be assessed in this review due to a lack of data. Therefore, further high-quality studies with detailed analysis and reporting are required to establish the diagnostic potential of the salivary metabolites in OPMDs and OC.Clinical relevanceWhile some salivary metabolites exhibit significant changes in oral potentially malignant  disorders (OPMDs) and oral cancer (OC) compared to healthy controls, the current evidence, especially for N-acetylglucosamine, is inadequate to confirm their reliability as diagnostic biomarkers. Additional high-quality studies are needed for a more conclusive assessment of salivary metabolites in oral disease diagnosis.
Source: Clinical Oral Investigations - Category: Dentistry Source Type: research