A review of salivary biomarkers in breast cancer

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to review the literature related to salivary biomarkers used to diagnose breast cancer or predict response to therapy and its prognosis. Studies were eligible for inclusion if they had compared salivary diagnostics for breast cancer with the gold standard or other biomarkers. Seven databases (PubMed, EMBASE, Science Direct, Scopus, Web of Science, Ovid, and Google Scholar) were searched for pertinent literature using specific search terms: breast cancer, diagnosis, prognosis saliva, and salivary biomarker. From the 513 studies screened, 110 were selected for inclusion in this review. Different salivary biomarkers were classified and discussed. Our analysis indicated that the sensitivity and specificity of salivary biomarkers, such as c-erb-B2 and sialic acid in BC detection are comparable with serum values. Salivary levels of autoantibodies against MUC1, CA 15-3 and adiponectin, had a better correlation with breast cancer than serum levels. Assessment of biomarkers, such as HER-2, helps develop a treatment plan and evaluates response to treatment. Our study confirms an increasing significance for salivary biomarkers in breast cancer diagnosis and treatment planning, as well as predicting therapeutic response and prognosis. Salivary biomarkers such as c-erb-B2 in association with traditional criteria offer the promise of use as a noninvasive screening method for breast cancer. Additional studies are warranted to determine the most sensitive and specific salivary biomarkers for this purpose.