Detection of peripheral blood circulating tumor cells in oral squamous cell carcinoma and its clinical significance

doi:10.7518/hxkq.2021.05.015

Abstract

Abstract: Objective

This study aims to investigate the diagnostic value of peripheral blood circulating tumor cells (CTCs) in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) and its correlation with the clinicopathological features of OSCC.

Methods

Ninety-three patients diagnosed as OSCC in the First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University from May 2019 to May 2020 were selected as the experimental group, and 20 healthy volunteers were employed as the control group. The CTCs value of peripheral blood of the patients were measured by CTCs detection technology, and its clinical significance was analyzed.

Results

The CTCs values in the experimental group were higher than those in the control group, and the difference was statistically significant (P<0.000 1). The CTCs value in the peripheral blood of patients in the experimental group were not correlated with gender, site of onset, and presence or absence of peripheral tissue infiltration (P>0.05), but was correlated with age (P=0.022), tumor T stage (P=0.02), tumor N stage (P=0.007 5), tumor M stage (P=0.013), clinical stage (P=0.029), early or late stage (P=0.022), tumor differentiation degree (P<0.001), and node metastasis (P=0.006 4). The AUC value of CTCs in OSCC diagnosis was 0.925, and the energy efficiency was statistically significant [P=0.000, 95%CI (0.876, 0.974)]. When the CTC value was 8.450 FU/3 mL, the maximum value of the Yoden index was 0.853, and the sensitivity and specificity of OSCC diagnosis were 90.3% and 95.0%, respectively. The AUC value of CTCs in the diagnosis of OSCC metastasis was 0.691, and the energy efficiency was statistically significant [P=0.000, 95%CI (0.580, 0.803)]. When the blood CTC value was 12.250 FU/3 mL, the maximum value of Yoden index was 0.367, the sensitivity was 63.6%, and the specificity was 73.3%. Multivariate regression analysis showed that buccal tumor was negatively correlated with CTCs in patients with OSCC (P=0.001 08), N2 stage (P=0.000 74) and M stage (P=0.026 38). High differentiation (P<0.000 1) and moderate differentiation (P=0.001 5) were negatively correlated with CTCs values in patients with OSCC.

Conclusion

Peripheral blood CTCs has important clinical value for early screening, auxiliary diagnosis, evaluation of metastasis, and determination of malignant degree, progression, and pathological grade of OSCC and a relatively reliable tumor detection indicator.

Key words: oral squamous cell carcinoma, circulating tumor cells, liquid biopsy

CLC Number:

R 739.8

Zhang Shuaiyuan, Qin Shuo, Li Guanghui, Yi Yaqun, Fu Haojie, Gao Yajing, Sun Minglei.. Detection of peripheral blood circulating tumor cells in oral squamous cell carcinoma and its clinical significance[J]. West China Journal of Stomatology, 2021, 39(5): 591-597.

Figures/Tables 6

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Tab 1

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Tab 2

References 23

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临床病理特征		OSCC患者/n（%）	P值
性别	男	64（68.8%）	0.19
性别	女	29（31.2%）	0.19
年龄/岁	<60	68（73.1%）	0.022
年龄/岁	≥60	25（26.9%）	0.022
发病部位	舌	39（41.9%）	0.064
	颊	12（12.9%）
	颌骨	18（19.4%）
	牙龈	11（11.8%）
	口底	8（8.6%）
	其他	5（5.4%）
分化程度	低分化	15（16.1%）	<0.001
	中分化	59（63.4%）
	高分化	19（20.4%）
淋巴结转移	无	65（69.9%）	0.006 4
淋巴结转移	有	28（30.1%）	0.006 4
周围组织浸润	无	59（63.4%）	0.062
周围组织浸润	有	34（36.6%）	0.062
T分期	T1	29（31.2%）	0.02
	T2	26（28.0%）
	T3	4（4.3%）
	T4	34（36.6%）
N分期	N0	65（69.9%）	0.007 5
	N1	13（14.0%）
	N2	15（16.1%）
M分期	M0	82（88.2%）	0.013
M分期	M1	11（11.8%）	0.013
临床分期	Ⅰ	27（29.0%）	0.029
	Ⅱ	15（16.1%）
	Ⅲ	11（11.8%）
	Ⅳ	40（43.0%）
早晚期	Ⅰ+Ⅱ	52（54.8%）	0.022
早晚期	Ⅲ+Ⅳ	41（45.1%）	0.022

特征		OR值	P值
部位	舌	-0.674	0.244 55
	颊	-2.516	0.001 08
	牙龈	-0.625	0.426 49
	口底	0.524	0.543 68
	其他	0.293	0.776 80
N分期	N1	0.373	0.545 71
N分期	N2	2.181	0.000 74
M分期	M1	1.553	0.026 38
分化程度	高分化	-3.541	<0.000 1
分化程度	中分化	-1.982	0.001 5

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