Oxidative stress, neutrophil elastase and IGFBP7 levels in patients with oropharyngeal cancer and chronic periodontitis

Objective: The present study focused on investigating levels of oxidative stress, neutrophil elastase (NE), and insulin-like growth factor-binding protein 7 (IGFBP7) in oropharyngeal cancers (OC) with the presence and absence of periodontitis.

Materials and methods: A healthy non-periodontitis group (H-NP; n = 20), a systemically healthy chronic periodontitis group (H-P; n = 20), a non-periodontitis group with OC (OC-NP; n = 12), and a chronic periodontitis group with OC (OC-P; n = 16) formed the study groups. The levels of NE and IGFBP7 were measured in gingival crevicular fluid (GCF) and saliva. In addition, oxidative status was determined by evaluating total oxidant status (TOS), total antioxidant status (TAS), and OSI (TOS/TAS).

Results: Gingival crevicular fluid NE was higher in all the groups compared with the H-NP group (p < .01). Salivary NE was higher in the OC-P and H-P groups compared with the H-NP and OC-NP groups (p < .05). Salivary IGFBP7 was significantly higher in the OC-NP and OC-P groups compared with the H-NP and H-P groups (p < .001). GCF TOS and OSI levels were significantly higher in all groups compared with the H-NP group (p < .05).

Conclusions: Gingival crevicular fluid NE levels were lower in healthy conditions compared with periodontal disease and OC. Salivary NE levels were higher in periodontal disease compared to states with no periodontal disease. Salivary IGFBP7 levels were higher in OC. Further analyses may help determine whether high salivary IGFBP7 levels distinguish OC from healthy conditions.