An observational study in Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma (OSCC), sponsored by University of Pavia. Not yet recruiting at 2 sites in Italy. Open to participants aged 18 Years and older. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2026-07-09.
Sponsored by University of Pavia · Observational
This observational study will evaluate whether salivary interleukin-6 levels and selected interleukin gene polymorphisms are associated with regional lymph node involvement in patients with oral squamous cell carcinoma.
Adult patients with histologically confirmed oral squamous cell carcinoma will be enrolled before receiving any cancer-specific treatment. Participants will be classified into two groups according to the presence or absence of regional lymph node metastasis: OSCC N0M0 and OSCC N+M0.
The study does not involve any experimental treatment and does not change the standard diagnostic or therapeutic pathway. Each participant will provide a saliva sample using a sterile absorbent swab. The saliva sample will be used to measure interleukin-6 levels. Available biological material will also be used to analyze selected interleukin gene polymorphisms, including IL6, IL1B, IL10, IL8/CXCL8, and IL1RN.
The aim of the study is to explore whether these salivary and genetic markers may help characterize different biological patterns of locoregional progression in oral squamous cell carcinoma.
Oral squamous cell carcinoma is characterized by variable biological behavior, including different patterns of regional lymph node involvement. Regional lymph node metastasis is one of the main prognostic factors in this disease. However, patients with similar clinicopathological characteristics may show different patterns of locoregional progression, suggesting that additional biological markers may help describe tumor behavior.
This multicentre observational cross-sectional study will investigate salivary interleukin-6 and selected interleukin gene polymorphisms in adult patients with histologically confirmed oral squamous cell carcinoma. Participants will be enrolled before any cancer-specific treatment and classified according to regional lymph node status as OSCC N0M0 or OSCC N+M0.
Saliva will be collected using a standardized sterile absorbent swab procedure. Salivary interleukin-6 levels will be quantified and expressed as pg/mL. Selected interleukin-related genetic polymorphisms, including IL6, IL1B, IL10, IL8/CXCL8, and IL1RN, will be analyzed from available biological material using validated molecular biology methods.
The primary objective is to compare salivary interleukin-6 levels between patients without regional lymph node metastasis and patients with regional lymph node metastasis. Secondary objectives include evaluating the association between nodal status and interleukin gene polymorphisms, and exploring the relationship between these polymorphisms and salivary interleukin-6 levels.
No experimental treatment will be administered, and participation will not modify the standard diagnostic or therapeutic management of oral squamous cell carcinoma.
2,018 studies on the registry are indexed under Squamous Cell Carcinoma of Head and Neck; 573 are open to participants now.
This study's planned enrollment of 38 is below the median of 100 across 236 observational studies indexed under Squamous Cell Carcinoma of Head and Neck.
Browse Squamous Cell Carcinoma of Head and Neck studies →University of Pavia is the lead sponsor of 144 studies on the registry; 39 are open to participants now.
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The study population will include adult patients with histopathologically confirmed oral squamous cell carcinoma of the oral cavity, enrolled before any OSCC-specific oncological treatment. Participants will be classified according to regional lymph node status into two observational cohorts: OSCC N0M0, defined as absence of regional lymph node metastasis and absence of distant metastasis, and OSCC N+M0, defined as presence of regional lymph node metastasis and absence of distant metastasis. Patients will be recruited from participating Italian study centres involved in the clinical management of oral squamous cell carcinoma.
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Exclusion Criteria:
Underlined terms in the criteria open these too. Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
Cancer that has spread from where it began to other parts of the body. “Metastatic” cancer is cancer that has spread this way.
Before you join, the study team explains what taking part involves — its purpose, what happens, the risks and possible benefits — and answers your questions, so you can decide freely. Consent is usually recorded on a form (the informed consent form, ICF) signed by you or, where the law allows, by someone legally authorised to decide for you.
You can keep asking questions during the study, you are told of new information that matters, and you can choose to leave at any time.
A condition in which the immune system attacks the body’s own tissues, such as rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, psoriasis, type 1 diabetes or inflammatory bowel disease.
Immunotherapy studies often leave out active autoimmune disease, and some name exceptions, such as thyroid disease on replacement hormone. Check the exceptions this study lists.
A weakened immune system. It can come from an illness, such as HIV or some blood cancers, or from medicines that turn the immune system down, for example after an organ transplant or for an autoimmune disease; steroids at higher doses count.
Read whether the line is about a condition or about medicines, and which medicines and doses it means.
Malignancy means cancer. Criteria about another or earlier malignancy ask whether you have had a different cancer, usually within a set number of years.
Some are commonly allowed, such as treated skin cancers other than melanoma and early cancers removed completely — check the exceptions this study lists.
Judged by the study doctor to matter for your health or for the study. It is a doctor’s decision, so ask the study team if you are unsure whether something counts.
Metastases
Cancer that has spread from where it began to other parts of the body. “Metastatic” cancer is cancer that has spread this way.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
Informed consent
Before you join, the study team explains what taking part involves — its purpose, what happens, the risks and possible benefits — and answers your questions, so you can decide freely. Consent is usually recorded on a form (the informed consent form, ICF) signed by you or, where the law allows, by someone legally authorised to decide for you.
You can keep asking questions during the study, you are told of new information that matters, and you can choose to leave at any time.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
Autoimmune disease
A condition in which the immune system attacks the body’s own tissues, such as rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, psoriasis, type 1 diabetes or inflammatory bowel disease.
Immunotherapy studies often leave out active autoimmune disease, and some name exceptions, such as thyroid disease on replacement hormone. Check the exceptions this study lists.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
Immunosuppression
A weakened immune system. It can come from an illness, such as HIV or some blood cancers, or from medicines that turn the immune system down, for example after an organ transplant or for an autoimmune disease; steroids at higher doses count.
Read whether the line is about a condition or about medicines, and which medicines and doses it means.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
Cancer (malignancy)
Malignancy means cancer. Criteria about another or earlier malignancy ask whether you have had a different cancer, usually within a set number of years.
Some are commonly allowed, such as treated skin cancers other than melanoma and early cancers removed completely — check the exceptions this study lists.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
Clinically significant
Judged by the study doctor to matter for your health or for the study. It is a doctor’s decision, so ask the study team if you are unsure whether something counts.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
Adult patients with histologically confirmed oral squamous cell carcinoma of the oral cavity, without regional lymph node metastasis and without distant metastasis. Participants will undergo saliva sample collection before any OSCC-specific oncological treatment. No experimental intervention will be administered.
Other: Saliva Collection and Biomarker Analysis
Adult patients with histologically confirmed oral squamous cell carcinoma of the oral cavity, with regional lymph node metastasis and without distant metastasis. Participants will undergo saliva sample collection before any OSCC-specific oncological treatment. No experimental intervention will be administered.
Other: Saliva Collection and Biomarker Analysis
Participants will undergo saliva sample collection using a sterile disposable absorbent salivary swab before any OSCC-specific oncological treatment. Salivary samples will be analyzed to measure interleukin-6 levels. Available biological material will also be used to analyze selected interleukin gene polymorphisms, including IL6, IL1B, IL10, IL8/CXCL8, and IL1RN. No experimental treatment will be administered, and the study procedures will not modify the standard diagnostic or therapeutic pathway.
Also known as: Salivary IL-6 Measurement; Interleukin Gene Polymorphism Analysis
Difference in Salivary Interleukin-6 Levels Between OSCC N0M0 and OSCC N+M0 Patients
Salivary interleukin-6 levels will be compared between patients with oral squamous cell carcinoma without regional lymph node metastasis, classified as OSCC N0M0, and patients with oral squamous cell carcinoma with regional lymph node metastasis, classified as OSCC N+M0. Salivary interleukin-6 will be measured from saliva samples collected using sterile absorbent swabs and expressed as a continuous variable in pg/mL.
Time frame: Baseline, before any OSCC-specific oncological treatment
Association Between Regional Lymph Node Status and Interleukin Gene Polymorphisms
The association between regional lymph node status and selected interleukin gene polymorphisms will be evaluated by comparing genotype and/or allele frequencies of IL6, IL1B, IL10, IL8/CXCL8, and IL1RN between patients with OSCC N0M0 and patients with OSCC N+M0. Where appropriate, results will be expressed as odds ratios for regional lymph node metastasis.
Time frame: Baseline, before any OSCC-specific oncological treatment
Association Between Interleukin Gene Polymorphisms and Salivary Interleukin-6 Levels
The association between selected interleukin gene polymorphisms and salivary interleukin-6 levels will be assessed by comparing salivary interleukin-6 concentrations across genotype groups and/or through regression models using salivary interleukin-6 as a continuous dependent variable. Salivary interleukin-6 will be expressed in pg/mL.
Time frame: Baseline, before any OSCC-specific oncological treatment
Plan to share: No — Data will be available upon motivated request to the corresponding authors.
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This study is not yet recruiting, as verified in Jul 2026. You cannot join it, but the record below documents what was studied.
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