Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40822530›Full record

ReviewClinical, cosmetic and investigational dentistry2025

Immunohistochemical Markers in the Early Identification of Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma: A Systematic Review.

Abdullah F Alshammari, Ahmed A Madfa, Bassam A Anazi, Ghorashy E Mohammed, Khlood Abdulkader Alkurdi

Abstract readReview
In one paragraph

Review in Clinical, cosmetic and investigational dentistry, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing 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

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Article
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.

Abdullah F AlshammariDepartment of Basic Dental and Medical Science, College of Dentistry, University of Ha'il, Ha'il, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.ORCID 0000-0002-5200-6362
Ahmed A MadfaDepartment of Restorative Dental Science, College of Dentistry, University of Ha'il, Ha'il, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.ORCID 0000-0001-6124-0129
Bassam A AnaziDepartment of Pathology, College of Medicine, University of Hail, Ha'il, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
Ghorashy E MohammedDepartment of Pathology, College of Medicine, University of Hail, Ha'il, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
Khlood Abdulkader AlkurdiMinistry of Health, Qassim Health Cluster, King Saud Hospital, Unayzah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.ORCID 0009-0002-3164-5461

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Background: Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is a prevalent malignancy of the head and neck, often only diagnosed at advanced stages due to the limitations of conventional diagnostic tools. Early detection is crucial for improving survival rates, minimising treatment-related morbidity, and enhancing patient outcomes. Immunohistochemical (IHC) markers have emerged as potential tools for identifying early molecular changes associated with malignant transformation in oral epithelial cells. Objective: This systematic review aims to evaluate the diagnostic performance of IHC markers in the early detection of OSCC, focusing on their sensitivity, specificity and clinical applicability. Methods: A systematic literature search was conducted for relevant studies published between 2015 and 2025. After removing duplicates using Mendeley Software, 412 studies were identified. A total of 168 studies were excluded following title screening, and 181 were excluded based on abstract screening. Sixty-three full-text articles were reviewed for eligibility. An additional 20 studies were identified through reference list screening. After applying the inclusion and exclusion criteria, 6 studies were included in the final analysis. Results: The review identified several IHC markers, including p53, Ki-67, EGFR, and p16, as frequently associated with early dysplastic changes and malignant transformation in the oral mucosa. While many markers showed high sensitivity and specificity, variability in study design, antibody clones, interpretation criteria, and staining protocols limited the generalisability of the findings. Conclusion: IHC markers demonstrate considerable potential for the early identification of OSCC. However, standardised protocols, large-scale multicentre validation studies, and integration with molecular diagnostics are needed to establish their clinical utility. The findings of this review support the incorporation of IHC markers into evidence-based diagnostic approaches to improve early detection and patient prognosis in OSCC.

Indexed as

biomarkersdiagnostic accuracyearly detectionEGFRimmunohistochemistryKi-67oral cancer screeningoral squamous cell carcinomap16p53

Identifiers

PMID40822530
PMCPMC12357581

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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.