Changes in saliva interleukin-6 levels in patients with oral squamous cell carcinoma

Objective. The aim of this study was to elucidate changes in interleukin-6 (IL-6) levels in whole saliva during the treatment of patients with oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC). Study design. Twenty-nine consecutive inpatients with OSCC were enrolled. Stimulated saliva was collected just after hospitalization (period 1), just before main treatment (surgery in 26 cases; period 2), and at the time of discharge (period 3). The mean intervals were 11 +/- 8 days between periods 1 and 2 and 30 +/- 18 days between periods 2 and 3. Nineteen age-matched healthy control subjects were also recruited. Interleukin-6 concentrations were measured by a highly sensitive chemiluminescent enzyme immunoassay. Results. Interleukin-6 was detected in 23 out of 29 samples in the OSCC group in period 1. The concentration of IL-6 was significantly higher in the OSCC group (mean 20.1 +/- 36.3 pg/mL) than in the control subjects (0.6 +/- 0.8 pg/mL; P = .003). The mean concentration of IL-6 at period 2 was 43.6 +/- 95.6 pg/mL, significantly higher than at period 1 (P = .002), and at period 3 was 17.1 +/- 27.6 pg/mL (P = .52 [compared with period 2]). Conclusions. Interleukin-6 was up-regulated in saliva in the OSCC patients. The IL-6 level tended to increase before treatment, and it returned to baseline levels after treatment. (Oral Surg Oral Med Oral Pathol Oral Radiol Endod 2010;110:330-336)