The aim of this paper was to characterise the isotopic composition of oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) specimens of different areas of the oral cavity. Secondly, we assessed whether there was a correlation between clinical stages of OSCC and isotopic abundance. The IRMS procedure was performed on 124 samples derived from 31 patients with OSCC of 15 N and 13 C to assess the isotopic composition. From each individual, four samples from the tumour, two from the margins, and two samples of healthy oral mucous membranes were derived. The two samples from the tumour and two samples from the margin were additionally subjected to histopathological assessment. Then, statistical analysis was conducted. Tumour infiltration tissues of the lower lip were characterised by higher mean δ13C values compared to samples derived from cancers of the other oral cavity regions (−23.82 ± 1.21 vs. −22.67 ± 1.35); (p= 0.04). The mean percentage of nitrogen content in tumour tissues was statistically higher in patients with the most advanced cancers (11.89 ± 0.03%) versus the group of patients with II and III stage cancers (11.12 ± 0.02%); (p= 0.04). In patients at stage IV, the mean δ13C value in the cancer samples equalled −22.69 ± 1.42 and was lower than that in patients at less severe clinical stages (p= 0.04). Lower lip cancer tissues differed in the isotopic abundance of carbon in comparison with tissues derived from the group of combined samples from other locations. Values of δ13C observed in specimens derived from lower lip cancers were similar to those observed in healthy oral mucous membranes. Cancer tissues obtained from patients in the last stage of OSCC had a different isotopic composition in comparison with those obtained from earlier stages. To confirm these observations, further research on larger groups of patients is needed.
本研究旨在分析口腔不同区域口腔鳞状细胞癌（OSCC）样本的同位素组成特征，并评估OSCC临床分期与同位素丰度之间是否存在相关性。研究采用同位素比值质谱法（IRMS）对31例OSCC患者的124份样本进行了氮-15和碳-13同位素组成分析。每位患者采集四份肿瘤样本、两份切缘样本及两份健康口腔黏膜样本。其中两份肿瘤样本和两份切缘样本同时进行了组织病理学评估，随后进行统计分析。 结果显示，下唇肿瘤浸润组织的平均δ13C值（-23.82 ± 1.21）显著高于其他口腔区域癌组织样本（-22.67 ± 1.35）（p=0.04）。晚期癌症患者肿瘤组织的平均氮含量百分比（11.89 ± 0.03%）显著高于II期和III期患者组（11.12 ± 0.02%）（p=0.04）。IV期患者癌组织的平均δ13C值为-22.69 ± 1.42，低于临床分期较轻的患者组（p=0.04）。下唇癌组织的碳同位素丰度与其他部位联合样本组存在差异，其δ13C值与健康口腔黏膜组织相近。与早期阶段相比，OSCC终末期患者的癌组织具有不同的同位素组成特征。为验证这些发现，需在更大患者群体中开展进一步研究。
Oral Cavity Cancer Tissues Differ in Isotopic Composition Depending on Location and Staging
肿瘤(癌症)患者之家