title: Salivary epigenetic biomarkers in head and neck squamous cell carcinomas.
abstract: The early detection of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) continues to be a challenge to the clinician. Saliva as a diagnostic medium carries significant advantages including its close proximity to the region of interest, ease of collection and noninvasive nature. While the identification of biomarkers continues to carry significant diagnostic and prognostic utility in HNSCC, epigenetic alterations present a novel opportunity to serve this purpose. With the developments of novel and innovative technologies, epigenetic alterations are now emerging as attractive candidates in HNSCC. As such, this review will focus on two commonly aberrant epigenetic alterations: DNA methylation and microRNA expression in HNSCC and their potential clinical utility. Identification and validation of these salivary epigenetic biomarkers would not only enable early diagnosis but will also facilitate in the clinical management.
authors.affiliation: The School of Biomedical Sciences, Institute of Health & Biomedical Innovations, Queensland University of Technology, 60 Musk Avenue, Kelvin Grove, Brisbane, QLD 4001, Australia.
authors.forename: Yenkai
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Lim
authors.affiliation: The School of Biomedical Sciences, Institute of Health & Biomedical Innovations, Queensland University of Technology, 60 Musk Avenue, Kelvin Grove, Brisbane, QLD 4001, Australia.|School of Dentistry, The University of Queensland, 288 Herston Rd, Herston, Brisbane, QLD 4006, Australia.
authors.forename: Charles Xiaohang
authors.initials: CX
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.affiliation: The School of Biomedical Sciences, Institute of Health & Biomedical Innovations, Queensland University of Technology, 60 Musk Avenue, Kelvin Grove, Brisbane, QLD 4001, Australia.|School of Dentistry, The University of Queensland, 288 Herston Rd, Herston, Brisbane, QLD 4006, Australia.
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Tran
authors.affiliation: The School of Biomedical Sciences, Institute of Health & Biomedical Innovations, Queensland University of Technology, 60 Musk Avenue, Kelvin Grove, Brisbane, QLD 4001, Australia.
authors.forename: Chamindie
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Punyadeera
mesh_terms: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000235:genetics*; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000235:genetics*; D044127:Epigenesis, Genetic; D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000235:genetics*; D006801:Humans; D012463:Saliva / Q000378:metabolism*; D057170:Translational Research, Biomedical
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor
keywords: DNA methylation; epigenetic biomarkers; head and neck squamous cell carcinoma; microRNA; salivary diagnostics