Proliferative verrucous leukoplakia (PVL) is a rare yet aggressive oral potentially malignant disease (OPMD) with the greatest rate of malignant transformation. Its pathophysiology is poorly understood despite much histopathological and molecular research. Particularly, Telomerase reverse transcriptase (TERT) promoter mutations at C228T and C250T have been linked to many epithelial malignancies; however, their significance in PVL is yet unknown in the Indian population. The aim of this study was to assess frequency of TERT promoter mutations (C228T, C250T) and rs2853669 single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) in PVL, oral leukoplakia (OL), oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) and healthy controls. 120 fresh frozen tissue specimens (30 each of OL, PVL, OSCC and controls) were tested for presence of C228T and C250T mutation in TERT promoter gene region and SNP at rs2853669, using Sanger sequencing on genomic DNA. TERT C228T mutation was found in 6.7

BACKGROUND:Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC), the most common oral malignancy, accounts for 80-90% of oral cancers. India bears the highest global burden, with one-third of cases worldwide. A significant proportion of OSCC in the Indian subcontinent arises in individuals without traditional risk factors such as tobacco or alcohol use, suggesting the involvement of alternative etiologic factors that remains poorly defined. OBJECTIVES:To systematically review and synthesize evidence on the demographics, lesion distribution, and potential non-habit-related risk factors of OSCC, aiming to clarify its etiopathogenesis in patients without deleterious habits such as tobacco or alcohol use. METHODS:A total of 1355 records were identified (PubMed: 268, Scopus: 393, Embase: 694), with 580 duplicates removed, leaving 775 records for screening. After exclusion, 39 studies met the criteria: 17 cohort, 8 case-control, 8 cross-sectional, and 6 case reports. Methodological quality and risk of bias was assessed independently by two reviewers using relevant Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) Critical Appraisal Checklists. RESULTS:The 39 included studies spanned a wide geographic range, with India contributing the most (n = 6). Non habit associated oral squamous cell carcinoma cases occurred at a significantly younger age (mean 45.84 vs. 63.71 years; p = 0.068) and showed a female predominance (p = 0.028). The tongue was the most frequent site. Key associations included recurrent genetic mutations, enrichment of Fusobacterium and Porphyromonas, and risk factors such as low fruit and vegetable intake, chronic mucosal trauma, immunosuppression, poor oral hygiene, passive smoking, and occupational or environmental exposure to heavy metals. CONCLUSION:Non-habit-associated OSCC is a distinct clinical entity, often occurring in younger patients with a slight female predominance and unique risk factor patterns. Its diverse etiological spectrum including viral, microbial, dietary, immunologic, and environmental exposures highlight the importance of tailored preventive approaches. Robust high-quality research is needed to elucidate causal mechanisms and enhance early diagnosis in these cases.

BACKGROUND:Jaw osteosarcoma (JOS) is a rare and biologically distinct variant of osteogenic sarcoma, characterized by unpredictable clinical behavior and significant diagnostic challenges. Due to its rarity, comprehensive data on Indian cohorts remain scarce. METHODS:This case series analyzes 19 histologically confirmed JOS cases diagnosed over a 15-year period (2011-2025). Detailed clinicopathological, radiographic, and treatment parameters were evaluated. Overall survival was analyzed using Kaplan-Meier estimates and log-rank testing. RESULTS:The cohort showed a mean age of 33.5 years (median: 24 years), with 57.9% (11/19) under 30 years and a male-to-female ratio of 2.2:1. Mandibular involvement was more frequent (57.9% 11/19), and osteoblastic subtype predominated histologically (52.6%, 10/19). Surgical intervention was associated with improved overall survival (p = 0.01). Younger age at diagnosis (<30 years), smaller tumor size, and osteoblastic histological subtype were also associated with favorable survival outcomes. The overall mortality rate was 52.9% (9/17). CONCLUSION:This study represents one of the largest single-institution Indian series of JOS and highlights factors associated with overall survival. Early surgical intervention showed the strongest association with improved survival, while combined treatment approaches did not demonstrate independent benefit on multivariate analysis. Larger studies are required for validation.

Background:Submucous fibrosis (SMF) is an oral potentially malignant disorder with a high risk of malignant transformation, primarily associated with areca nut use and tobacco consumption. Aim:This study aimed to evaluate the correlation of nicotine dependence and nutritional status with disease severity in patients with SMF. Settings and Design:This observational study was conducted among 70 SMF patients subdivided on clinical and histological classification. Materials and Methods:Habit index was calculated and Nicotine dependence was measured using Fagerstrom test for nicotine dependence (FTND). Body mass index (BMI) and mid upper arm circumference (MUAC) was recorded. Haematological assessment, including serum iron, vitamin B12, and folate levels was conducted. Malnutritional universal screening tool (MUST) was used to score the risk of malnutrition. Statistical Analysis:Chi-square, Pearson's correlation and Spearman's correlation tests were used for group comparisons of categorical, numerical, and ordinal data, respectively. Level of statistical significance was set at a P value less than 0.05. Results and Conclusion:Clinical and histological staging showed a positive correlation with habit index and nicotine dependence (P value = 0.001). BMI, MUAC and serum iron levels showed inverse correlation with severity of the disease. MUST scores revealed increase (P value = 0.001) with advancing stages of SMF. FTND showed significant correlation with BMI, MUAC, MUST and serum iron values. Nicotine dependence and nutritional status are important indicators of the severity of the disease in patients with SMF. Routine assessment of these parameters' aids in the identification of high-risk groups and to plan a targeted treatment strategy.

Synovial sarcoma, a malignant mesenchymal neoplasm, is predominantly linked to the extremities. Nonetheless, its occurrence in the head and neck area, especially within the masseter muscle, is exceedingly uncommon. This uniqueness highlights the importance of each instance in elucidating the intricacies of its behavior and management approaches. A 30-year-old Female Had Recurring Discomfort and Swelling in the Right Facial region. She Had A Previous Diagnosis of A Schwannoma in the Same area, Which Was Excised A Decade ago. Notwithstanding Surgical excision, her Symptoms continued, and She Remained Under observation. Two Months before the presentation, the Swelling reappeared, Accompanied by acute, Persistent Discomfort. The MRI Indicated A Hypointense Lesion in the Right Masseter muscle. The Surgical re-excision Disclosed A well-encapsulated Neoplasm. Histopathology Revealed A Hypercellular Spindle Cell Neoplasm Organised in a biphasic pattern, with regions of glandular differentiation, nuclear pleomorphism, and atypical mitotic figures. Immunohistochemistry exhibited positivity for TLE, H-Caldesmon, CD10, and Vimentin, but S100 and CD34 demonstrated negativity. Fluorescence in situ hybridisation validated the SS18::X2 gene rearrangement. A definitive diagnosis of biphasic synovial sarcoma was made. This case underscores the peculiar manifestation of synovial sarcoma in the masseteric area occurring in a patient with a prior history of Schwannoma.

PURPOSE:Oral mucositis is a frequent, dose-limiting toxicity of chemoradiotherapy of head and neck cancer. Clinician-based grading such as the world health organization mucositis scale provides objective assessment of visible lesions, but patient-reported oral mucositis symptom scale capture the subjective functional impact, which may not always correspond with clinical findings. This pilot study examined the association between clinician grading and patient-reported measures and explored differences between benzydamine and bicarbonate rinses. PATIENTS AND METHODS:Twenty patients with head and neck cancer receiving definitive chemoradiotherapy were enrolled; ten received benzydamine and ten bicarbonate rinses. Weekly world health organization mucositis grading and patient-reported oral mucositis symptoms (10-item Visual Analogue Scale assessing pain, speech, eating, swallowing, and taste) were recorded across seven weeks. Spearman's correlation was performed, and descriptive comparisons were made between rinse groups. RESULTS:All patients developed mucositis by week 7. Peak severity ranged from grade 1 to grade 4, with most patients reaching grade 3. Median onset of ulcerative mucositis (grade 2 or worse) was week 3. Patient-reported oral mucositis symptoms correlated with World Health Organization grades (Spearman's ρ=0.72, p<0.01) and increased with ulcerative progression. Taste alteration and difficulty eating solids were most affected domains. Some patients reported symptoms despite absent visible lesions. No significant differences were found between the two rinse groups. CONCLUSIONS:Patient-reported outcome measure symptoms scale strongly complement World Health Organization grading, capturing symptom escalation and functional impairments under-recognized by clinician assessment. Findings support the need for larger multicentre studies integrating clinician and patient assessments.

The diagnosis of primary bone tumours of the jaw often presents as a diagnostic dilemma. Overlap in clinical, radiological, and histological features between benign lesions like juvenile trabecular ossifying fibroma (JTOF); osteoblastoma (OB) and malignant tumours like low-grade osteosarcoma (LGOS) makes the diagnosis challenging. While osteosarcoma is a malignant tumour with poor prognosis requiring aggressive treatment, benign lesions have generally favourable outcome. This study aimed to assess the immunohistochemical expression of murine double minute 2 (MDM2) and Cyclin-dependent kinase 4 (CDK4) in low-grade osteosarcoma and benign osseous lesions. Immunohistochemical analysis was performed on tissue samples from diagnosed cases of LGOS, JTOF, and OB. The expression levels of MDM2 and CDK4 were analysed and compared across the three groups. We found significantly higher expression of MDM2 and CDK4 in low-grade osteosarcoma compared to JTOF which showed negative expression in all of the cases. Osteoblastoma showed inconsistent and focal positivity contrary to OS where strong and diffuse expression of both the markers was observed. A strong co-expression of both the markers was also noted in 94

Cytoplasmic granularity is a distinctive histomorphologic feature observed in several oral lesions and is commonly attributed to the accumulation of lysosomes or other intracellular organelles. Granular cell tumor (GCT) and congenital epulis (CE) are two such lesions that exhibit strikingly similar microscopic appearances on routine hematoxylin and eosin staining, despite differing in clinical presentation, biological behavior, and histogenesis. This histochemical and immunohistochemical note aims to highlight the nature and diagnostic significance of cytoplasmic granules in these two entities. Periodic acid–Schiff (PAS) staining shows variable positivity in both lesions and therefore provides limited discriminatory value. In contrast, Luxol fast blue (LFB) reliably demonstrates myelin-rich cytoplasmic granules in GCT, while CE remains negative. Immunohistochemically, GCT consistently expresses S-100 protein and CD68, supporting Schwann cell differentiation with lysosome-rich granules. CE, however, lacks S-100 expression and demonstrates absent or weak CD68 staining, favoring a non-neural, likely mesenchymal or hamartomatous origin. The combined use of histochemical stains and immunohistochemistry provides important diagnostic clues in differentiating GCT from CE. Recognition of the distinct staining profiles and immunophenotype of these lesions, in conjunction with morphologic assessment, can help avoid diagnostic ambiguity and ensure accurate diagnosis.

Oral focal mucinosis (OFM) is a benign lesion of the oral cavity. It is usually a slow-growing, painless nodular swelling commonly located on the gingiva. It has non-specific clinical features and is often confused with reactive lesions of the gingiva. It is rarely reported among adolescents. An 11-year-old girl reported with a firm, painless nodular swelling on the lingual gingiva of the lower jaw for six months. Growth was excised surgically, and histopathological examination was performed using H&E stain. Microscopic analysis revealed the presence of a myxoid stroma with spindle-shaped stellate fibroblasts and plenty of mucin, which confirmed the diagnosis of OFM. Healing was uneventful, and 12 months of follow-up did not report any recurrence. This case highlights the need to include OFM as a differential diagnosis of gingival swellings presented in adolescents. Clinicians should take OFM into account when making a differential diagnosis of gingival swellings to facilitate accurate diagnosis and appropriate management.

INTRODUCTION:Fine-needle aspiration cytology is a widely used minimally invasive tool for salivary gland lesions, though diagnostic challenges arise due to overlapping features between benign and malignant tumors. This systematic review and meta-analysis evaluate its diagnostic performance in salivary gland neoplasms. METHODS:A comprehensive literature search was conducted in PubMed/MEDLINE, Embase, Scopus, and Web of Science. Studies reporting sensitivity, specificity, or sufficient data to construct 2 × 2 tables were included. Data extraction was performed independently by two reviewers, and study quality was assessed using the QUADAS-2 tool. Diagnostic accuracy was pooled using a bivariate random-effects model, and summary receiver operating characteristic curves were generated. Publication bias was evaluated using Deeks' funnel plot. RESULTS:A total of 56 studies were included, of which 32 were eligible for meta-analysis. The pooled sensitivity of FNAC was 0.79 (95% CI: 0.75-0.83), and specificity was 0.94 (95% CI: 0.93-0.96). The summary analysis demonstrated good discriminative ability with an area under the curve of 0.89. No significant publication bias was detected. CONCLUSIONS:FNAC demonstrates high diagnostic accuracy, with high specificity and moderate sensitivity, supporting its role as a reliable first-line diagnostic tool in salivary gland neoplasms.

BACKGROUND:Signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3), a transcription factor and Integrin αvβ6 (ITGB6), a transmembrane protein are upregulated in a wide array of cancers. Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) has an invasive potential and a tendency to metastasize chiefly to cervical lymph nodes ultimately affecting the survival rate. This study endeavours to determine the role and correlation of STAT3 and ITGB6 in OSCC with and without lymph node metastasis and their association with overall survival. MATERIAL AND METHODS:A total of 100 cases of OSCC were included, comprising 50 cases with lymph node metastasis (nodal group) and 50 without nodal metastasis (non-nodal group). All cases were assessed histologically for prognostic scoring and were immunohistochemically stained using STAT3 and ITGB6 markers. Clinicopathological parameters with STAT3 and ITGB6 immunoexpressions along with overall survival with a mean follow-up period of 48 months were assessed as Immunoreactive score (IRS). RESULTS:Significantly stronger expression (IRS 2) of STAT3 and ITGB6 was observed in OSCC cases with lymph node metastasis. The nodal group with stronger STAT3 and ITGB6 expressions showed lower survival although no statistically significant differences were found. These markers showed prognostic significance independently, but no significant correlation was observed between the 2. CONCLUSION:On the basis of our findings, STAT3 and ITGB6 were statistically associated with lymph node metastasis. Thus, we hypothesised that their increased expression can lead to the migration of cancer cells, resulting in lymph node metastasis and affecting overall survival. Further understanding of the signalling pathways mediating STAT3 and ITGB6 may help identify valid therapeutic targets for OSCC patients.

Smiling photographs with visible dentition can function as reliable biometric evidence for establishing identity in unidentified, burnt, skeletonized, or decomposed human remains in the absence of antemortem dental records. This systematic review explores the practical application of such photographs in forensic identification. Following electronic database search from 2006 to 2025, screening and eligibility evaluation in accordance with PRISMA criteria, ten case reports/series were included and analyzed using the Joanna Briggs Institute Critical Appraisal tool modified for forensic context. Cases of unidentified, burnt, decomposed, or skeletonized human remains of children to middle-aged adults have been reported in Brazil, Australia, Jordan, Nepal, and Syria, where antemortem smiling photographs obtained via families or social media and postmortem information were analyzed using direct/ digital visual comparison, smile-line tracing, and digital superimposition for the identification of the deceased. Reported cause of death included tsunamis, aircraft disasters, drownings, homicides, gunshots, and wildlife attacks. Unique dental traits, crown morphology, crowding, spacing, fractures, and restorations also enabled precise identification. Non-clinical smile photographs function as a reliable substitute for forensic identification when other primary identifiers such as DNA and fingerprinting are not feasible. Future study must address the reported issues of inconsistent image quality, orientation discrepancies, absence of standardization, and susceptibility to subjectivity. Antemortem smile photographs with visible teeth may be used for forensic identification of unknown human remains when fingerprints, preclinical dental records or DNA-analysis are unavailable. Ten case reports (from 2006-2025) described the successful implementation of forensic human identification in air crashes, tsunamis, drownings and homicides using antemortem smile photograph with visible dentition. To identify human remains, digital superimposition, visual comparison, and smile-line matching were commonly employed methods. Lack of standardized methodology, subjectivity, visibility of dentition. poor image quality, and variation in orientation of visible dentition in ante-mortem photographs were reported as limitations in real-life case scenarios. Development and validation of standardized protocols using digital techniques and artificial intelligence-assisted analysis can enhance reproducibility and reliability.

BACKGROUND:The frozen section technique is a vital intraoperative diagnostic tool that enables rapid microscopic assessment of tissues, providing immediate information to guide surgical decision-making, including evaluation of tumor margins, disease extent, and metastatic involvement. Given the high risk of positive surgical margins in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC), achieving margin-negative resection is critical to minimizing recurrence. This systematic review and meta-analysis evaluates the reliability of frozen section analysis in detecting tumor-free margins in OSCC. METHODS:A comprehensive literature search was performed across PubMed, Scopus, Embase, and Science Direct, yielding 1082 records. After removing duplicates and screening titles, abstracts, and full texts, 19 studies met the criteria for qualitative synthesis. Of these, 9 studies with complete 2 × 2 data were included in the quantitative meta-analysis. RESULTS:Under the random-effects model, frozen section demonstrated a pooled sensitivity of 0.78 (95% CI: 0.55-0.91) and a pooled specificity of 0.98 (95% CI: 0.96-0.99). The common-effect estimates were lower due to the influence of larger studies. The SROC curve from the Reitsma bivariate model showed excellent overall diagnostic performance with an AUC of 0.955, confirming strong discriminative ability in distinguishing positive from negative margins. CONCLUSION:Frozen section demonstrates high specificity and acceptable sensitivity in detecting margin status in OSCC. The strong overall diagnostic performance supports its value as a reliable intraoperative tool. Incorporating frozen section assessment may improve surgical precision and reduce the risk of residual disease.

This systematic review aimed to assess the impact of different clinicopathological parameters on the prognosis and survival of mucoepidermoid carcinoma of salivary glands in the pediatric population. It was conducted according to the recommendations of PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis statement). All case reports, case series and observational studies were searched from the following databases: Medline (By PubMed), Web of Science, Scopus and Embase. Cases other than salivary gland mucoepidermoid carcinoma, cases with less than one-year follow-up and articles without any information on recurrence or survival were excluded. Checklist for Analytical Cross-Sectional Studies by The Joanna Briggs Institute was used for risk of bias assessment. Data was extracted and recorded using Excel spreadsheets. Chi-Square test and Kaplan Meier analysis were used. A total of 697 articles were screened, 42 were retrieved for full text screening and 30 articles were selected. Studies with similar methodologies and outcomes were categorized together. The average risk of bias was low. Data was extracted for 143 cases. Prognostic factors that were associated with poor survival outcomes were male gender, TNM staging, tumor grade, margins, lymphovascular and perineural invasion and choice of treatment. Multivariate analysis from all studies were assimilated to calculate an overall predictive strength of each parameter for prognosis and survival. This review concludes that such clinicopathological parameters are valuable prognostic predictors of mucoepidermoid carcinoma of salivary glands in pediatric population and are essential for proper treatment planning and post-treatment quality of life.

Acidic beverages can cause significant demineralization and erosive ultrastructural changes in human teeth, while milk and yogurt can prevent dental erosion. This in vitro study aimed to quantify and compare the protective efficacy of yogurt and milk against acidic beverages using stereomicroscopy, weight reduction experiments, and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Overall, 24 freshly extracted single-rooted human teeth (preserved in neutral buffered formalin) were randomly divided into four treatment subgroups: yogurt, milk, topical fluoridated tooth cream (TFTC), and unprotected teeth. They were immersed periodically in the six commonly consumed acidic beverages. Four control teeth were neither protected nor immersed in any beverage. The protective efficacy of these agents was calculated from the quantification of surface changes using stereomicroscopy and the extent of percentage weight reduction. SEM was also conducted on selected samples to validate the stereomicroscopic observations. One-way analysis of variance and Tukey's honestly significant difference analysis of the quantified stereomicroscopic features showed that TFTC significantly outperformed other agents in terms of preventing erosive surface changes in human teeth (p < 0.05). Similar findings were observed in the weight reduction experiment, which further supported the stereomicroscopic findings. It revealed that TFTC, yogurt, and milk provided significant protection in comparison to the unprotected group of teeth (p < 0.05) against weight reduction caused by acidic beverages. SEM analysis supported the hypothesis that protected teeth showed lesser ultrastructural damage when compared to unprotected teeth.

BACKGROUND:Ameloblastic carcinoma (AC), malignancy originating from the odontogenic epithelium, shows histological overlap with ameloblastoma (AM). In order to unravel mechanisms driving AC, it is imperative to understand the molecular distinction between these two entities. This systematic review aims to highlight molecular and immunohistochemical markers involved in the pathogenesis of AC and to distinguish it from its histological mimic, AM. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS:Literature search across three databases including PubMed, Web of Sciences, and Scopus was carried out from year 1999 to 2023 for original human case control studies involving AM, AC, and controls as study groups. Various biological markers studied in the literature were grouped based on principal molecular pathways. Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI), a critical appraisal tool for case control studies, was used to assess the risk of bias (RoB). RESULTS:Out of the 277 studies identified during the initial search, 28 studies were found eligible. These studies reported expression of various immunohistochemical (IHC), genetic and epigenetic markers in AC, AM, and controls through immunohistochemistry and gene sequencing. CONCLUSION:Stem cells, epigenetics, and growth factors define the pathways involved in pathogenesis of AC and may prove to be a potential therapeutic target in the future.

Proliferative Verrucous Leukoplakic (PVL) is a recently recognized Oral Potentially Malignant Disorder (OPMD) with the highest malignant transformation potential. These lesions are often resistant to the treatment and present with varied clinical and histological pictures in their course of progression. The histological spectrum observed in PVL are often confusing attributable to the extensive verrucous surface proliferation rendering an improper histological diagnosis, thus compromising treatment. To address the diagnostic ambiguity within this spectrum, Thompson et al. (2021) proposed four histopathologic categories for PVL, introducing the novel entity Barnaculate Carcinoma (BC). BC occupies an intermediate stage between Verrucous Hyperplasia (VH) and Verrucous Carcinoma (VC) and is defined as a bulky, non-invasive epithelial proliferation with distinctive morphological features, including extensive endophytic growth, flat surface, and an intact basement membrane. It resembles VC but lacks the classic invasion or extension beyond the adjacent epithelium. The name draws from barnacles, which attach firmly to surfaces-a trait mirrored in the lesion's 'stuck-on' appearance. While BC has not been recognized in the latest WHO 2022 classification of Head and Neck Tumours, it represents a unique subset specific to PVL, with no reported nodal metastasis or mortality in a limited follow-up. The delineation of BC could refine diagnosis and treatment, distinguishing it from VH and VC. However, further studies are warranted to validate its biological behaviour and determine therapeutic protocols. Recognizing BC in biopsies and evaluating patient outcomes will be critical in shaping future classification and management strategies.

OBJECTIVE:Early diagnosis of oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is a global concern, particularly in low-resource environments where invasive diagnostics limit population-wide screening. The purpose of this review is to evaluate the potential of salivary biomarkers: Interleukin-8 (IL-8), Cytokeratin 19 fragment (CYFRA 21-1), and Cluster of Differentiation 44 (CD44) in OSCC diagnosis. METHODS:A methodical search was conducted across PubMed, Embase, Scopus, and Web of Science databases till December 2024. Following PRISMA guidlines, studies quantifying salivary IL-8, CYFRA 21-1, and CD44 levels in OSCC patients and healthy controls were included. Using a bivariate random-effects model, we retrieved and combined sensitivity, specificity, and area under the summary receiver operating characteristic (SROC) curve. The QUADAS-2 tool was used to evaluate risk of bias. A standardized mean difference (SMD) meta-analysis was also performed to assess quantitative elevation in biomarker levels between cases and controls. RESULTS:Out of 311 articles reviewed, 20 eligible studies were included. IL-8, CYFRA 21-1, and CD44, individually, each biomarker demonstrated good diagnostic accuracy (with pooled AUCs of 0.88, 0.90, and 0.91, respectively), with CD44 showing overall highest diagnostic consistency. The combined biomarker panel exhibited significantly enhanced diagnostic precision (pooled AUC: 0.92; sensitivity: 88 %; specificity: 90 %). This combined metric was derived using a bivariate meta-analysis model applied to studies that evaluated at least two or more of the three biomarkers together. These findings were supported by corresponding forest plots and SROC curves, demonstrating low publication bias and moderate heterogeneity. Consistency across sample size, geographic origin, and assay technique were verified by subgroup analyses. CONCLUSION:Salivary IL-8, CYFRA 21-1, and CD44 taken together provide a scientifically strong, non-invasive method for OSCC diagnosis on a uniform diagnostic panel. With good translational potential in both clinical and community-based screening systems. These results provide a strong scientific foundation for the development of a saliva-based point-of-care test (POCT) kit.