Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40301868›Full record

ArticleBMC oral health2025

Salivary EGF: EGFR ratio as potential early diagnostic biomarker for oral cancer detection in tobacco chewers: a preliminary cross-sectional study.

Ruchika Kaul-Ghanekar, Ravi S Kharat, Prerna Raina, Amol Chaudhary, Shraddha Walekar-Ghaisas

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in BMC oral health, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 3 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
3citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

3 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

5 authors.

Ruchika Kaul-GhanekarCancer Research Lab, Interactive Research School for Health Affairs (IRSHA), Bharati Vidyapeeth (Deemed to be University), Pune, Maharashtra, India. ruchika.kaulghanekar@gmail.com.
Ravi S KharatDepartment of Surgery, Bharati Vidyapeeth (Deemed to be University) Medical College, Pune, India.
Prerna RainaCancer Research Lab, Interactive Research School for Health Affairs (IRSHA), Bharati Vidyapeeth (Deemed to be University), Pune, Maharashtra, India.
Amol ChaudharyCancer Research Lab, Interactive Research School for Health Affairs (IRSHA), Bharati Vidyapeeth (Deemed to be University), Pune, Maharashtra, India.
Shraddha Walekar-GhaisasSymbiosis Centre for Research and Innovation (SCRI), Symbiosis International Deemed University (SIU), Pune, India.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundTobacco chewing and smoking are major risk factors for oral cancer, with Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma (OSCC), comprising approximately 90% of cases, especially in South-Central Asia. This study examines the early diagnostic value of salivary Epidermal Growth Factor (EGF) and Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor (EGFR) for OSCC in long-term chewers of tobacco.

methodsThis study assessed salivary EGF and EGFR concentrations by Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA), in three groups: Healthy Controls (HC, n = 41), Tobacco Chewers with a 10-years history of tobacco use (TC, n = 41), and newly diagnosed OSCC patients (with tobacco chewing history of more than 10 years) with no prior history of neoplasms or anticancer treatment (OSCC, n = 19). All participants were over the age of 35.

resultsSalivary EGF levels were significantly reduced, while EGFR levels were elevated in tobacco chewers (TC) and newly diagnosed OSCC patients compared to healthy controls (HC), with no significant difference observed between TC and OSCC groups. Notably, the EGF: EGFR ratio demonstrated better diagnostic performance for OSCC in TC compared to EGF or EGFR alone. ROC analysis highlighted the potential of these biomarkers as diagnostic tools for OSCC in TC.

conclusionSalivary EGF: EGFR ratio may serve as an early diagnostic biomarker for OSCC in TC. Reduced EGF and elevated EGFR levels suggest their role in disease progression, warranting further large-scale studies for clinical validation.

Indexed as

Biomarkers, TumorCarcinoma, Squamous CellEarly Detection of CancerEpidermal Growth FactorErbB ReceptorsMouth NeoplasmsSalivaTobacco, SmokelessTobacco UseAdultCase-Control StudiesCross-Sectional StudiesEnzyme-Linked Immunosorbent AssayFemaleHumansMaleBiomarkers, TumorEGFR protein, humanEpidermal Growth FactorErbB ReceptorsEarly diagnostic biomarkerELISAOral squamous cell carcinomaSalivary EGF and EGFR

Identifiers

PMID40301868
PMCPMC12042584

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.