OBJECTIVES: The incidence of oral and oropharyngeal cancer is continually rising and affects increasingly younger patients. Consequently, many studies focus on early diagnosis using appropriate biomarkers. Neopterin and interleukin-6 (IL-6) are promising predictive and prognostic markers of immune response activation, both systemic and local, due to the anatomical proximity of malignancies to the salivary glands. MATERIAL AND METHODS: We collected oral fluid samples from 50 patients before and after the surgical resection of squamous cell carcinoma of the oral cavity and oropharynx. Additionally, blood samples were withdrawn from 20 of these patients and levels of neopterin and IL-6 were estimated using ELISA commercial kits. All gathered data were subsequently statistically analyzed for evaluation and compared to values from a control group of healthy individuals. RESULTS: In patients with oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) and oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (OPSCC), there was a significant decrease in neopterin and IL-6 levels in saliva following the surgical removal of the malignancy. These postoperative levels approached those of the control group. There was no significant decrease in neopterin and IL-6 levels in plasma. CONCLUSION: Detection of neopterin and IL-6 in saliva is a reliable diagnostic method for early detection of OSCC and its recurrence, as well as for monitoring therapeutic success, compared to plasma. Neopterin and IL-6 appear to be promising prognostic and predictive markers of the disease.

• Keywords
• interleukin‐6, neopterin, squamous cell carcinoma of head and neck,
• MeSH
• Adult MeSH
• Interleukin-6 * blood   analysis   metabolism   MeSH
• Middle Aged MeSH
• Humans MeSH
• Biomarkers, Tumor * blood   analysis   metabolism   MeSH
• Oropharyngeal Neoplasms * blood   metabolism   surgery   diagnosis   MeSH
• Mouth Neoplasms * blood   metabolism   surgery   diagnosis   MeSH
• Neopterin * blood   analysis   metabolism   MeSH
• Prospective Studies MeSH
• Aged MeSH
• Saliva * chemistry   metabolism   MeSH
• Carcinoma, Squamous Cell * blood   surgery   metabolism   diagnosis   MeSH
• Case-Control Studies MeSH
• Check Tag
• Adult MeSH
• Middle Aged MeSH
• Humans MeSH
• Male MeSH
• Aged MeSH
• Female MeSH
• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH
• Names of Substances
• IL6 protein, human MeSH Browser
• Interleukin-6 * MeSH
• Biomarkers, Tumor * MeSH
• Neopterin * MeSH

Interleukin-6 (IL-6) is a highly potent cytokine involved in multiple biological processes. It was previously reported to play a distinct role in inflammation, autoimmune and psychiatric disorders, ageing and various types of cancer. Furthermore, it is understood that IL-6 and its signaling pathways are substantial players in orchestrating the cancer microenvironment. Thus, they appear to be potential targets in anti-tumor therapy. The aim of this article is to elucidate the role of IL-6 in the tumor ecosystem and to review the possible therapeutic approaches in head and neck cancer.

• Keywords
• IL-6, cancer microenvironment, head and neck cancer, targeted therapy,
• MeSH
• Interleukin-6 immunology   metabolism   MeSH
• Humans MeSH
• Tumor Microenvironment * MeSH
• Head and Neck Neoplasms immunology   therapy   MeSH
• Signal Transduction MeSH
• Inflammation MeSH
• Check Tag
• Humans MeSH
• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH
• Review MeSH
• Names of Substances
• Interleukin-6 MeSH

The tumor microenvironment (TME) is comprised of many different cell populations, such as cancer-associated fibroblasts and various infiltrating immune cells, and non-cell components of extracellular matrix. These crucial parts of the surrounding stroma can function as both positive and negative regulators of all hallmarks of cancer development, including evasion of apoptosis, induction of angiogenesis, deregulation of the energy metabolism, resistance to the immune detection and destruction, and activation of invasion and metastasis. This review represents a summary of recent studies focusing on describing these effects of microenvironment on initiation and progression of the head and neck squamous cell carcinoma, focusing on oral squamous cell carcinoma, since it is becoming clear that an investigation of differences in stromal composition of the head and neck squamous cell carcinoma microenvironment and their impact on cancer development and progression may help better understand the mechanisms behind different responses to therapy and help define possible targets for clinical intervention.

• Keywords
• Epithelial-mesenchymal transition, Head and neck cancer, Tumor metabolism, Tumor microenvironment,
• MeSH
• Humans MeSH
• Tumor Microenvironment * MeSH
• Head and Neck Neoplasms pathology   MeSH
• Disease Progression MeSH
• Carcinoma, Squamous Cell pathology   MeSH
• Animals MeSH
• Check Tag
• Humans MeSH
• Animals MeSH
• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH
• Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't MeSH
• Systematic Review MeSH