SIBLING Proteins and Oral Cancer Treatment
Recently Science Daily posted an article entitled: SIBLING Proteins May Predict Oral Cancer. This article is interesting as it offers greater hope in the advancement of oral cancer treatment. A SIBLING stands for Small Integrin-Binding Ligand N-linked Glycoproteins.
“Several years ago we discovered that three SIBLINGs — osteopontin, bone sialoprotein and dentin sialophosphoprotein — were expressed at significantly high levels in oral cancers,” said Dr. Kalu Ogbureke, an oral and maxillofacial pathologist in the MCG School of Dentistry. “Following that discovery, we began to research the potential role of SIBLINGs in oral lesions before they become invasive cancers.”
Up to this point it’s been so difficult to determine which cells were precancerous that early oral cancer treatment has been difficult. With the research on SIBLING proteins, there is hope for better results for treatment.
Dr. Ogbureke’s next step is to design a multi-center study that incorporates oral cancer risk factors, such as smoking and alcohol consumption, to further investigate their relationship with SIBLING protein expression.
Oral Cancer Research: Oral Cancer Patients Needed
A fundamental requirement for the fight against oral cancer and finding a cure is effective research. Baylor Hospital of Dallas is committed to the fight and is currently recruiting oral cancer patients to participate in a clinical study.
About the Study
The purpose of the study is to determine if a saliva test will provide an opportunity for earlier detection of cancer cells in those that are at a higher risk of developing oral cancer.
Involvement of Participant
The involvement for the participant will be a one-time saliva collection. The collection will be in the morning before the patient eats, drinks or brushes his or her teeth.
Compensation: $30 (in cash) for their time and effort.
Process:
- Travel to the school
- Take a water mouth rinse
- Fill out consent form
- Participant will spit into a test tube that will be placed on ice.
- School will collect 8 ml saliva within 30 minutes of that time.
Eligible Patients
Baylor is looking for a couple of specific patients for this study. Below are some of the requirements that were posted on their website:
We need two types of oral cancer patients:
- Those who have been diagnosed with oral squamous cell carcinoma and have not yet started treatment.
- Those who were diagnosed earlier with this oral cancer, completed treatment at least two years ago, and have had no recurrence since then.
The oral cancer patient has to be a person who has not smoked at all within one calendar year prior to the study
We need two types of lichen planus patients:
- Those who currently have active lichen planus lesions in the mouth.
- Those who have the asymptomatic reticular type of oral lichen planus, or who do not have oral lesions.
The lichen planus patient has to be a non-smoker (defined here as a person who has smoked fewer than 100 cigarettes in his/her lifetime, and has not smoked at all within one calendar year prior to the study).
In addition, all patients must:
- Have no previous history of bone marrow transplants or kidney transplants.
- Have no history of hepatitis C, lupus erythematosus, or Sjőgren’s syndrome.
- Have no history of other previous malignancies.
- Have no history of radiation therapy in the head and neck area.
- Have not used any corticosteroid or immunosuppressant, for any reason, for at least 1 week prior to participation in the study.
- Be a person who drinks fewer than 14 servings of alcoholic beverages per week (one serving is counted as the equivalent of 50 ml of win, 330 ml of beer, or 30 ml of hard liquor).
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For more information on the clinical study, please visit the Baylor Hospital website.
