Comparative sera proteomics analysis of differentially expressed proteins in oral squamous cell carcinoma

Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) has increased in incidence from 1990 to 2017, especially in South and Southeast Asia. It is often diagnosed at an advanced stage with a poor prognosis. Therefore, early detection of OSCC is essential to improve the prognosis of OSCC. This study aims to identify the differentially expressed serum proteins as potential biomarkers for oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC). Comparative proteomics profiling of serum samples from OSCC patients, oral potentially malignant disorder (OPMD) patients, and healthy individuals were performed using two-dimensional gel electrophoresis (2-DE) coupled with mass spectrometry (MS) ( = 60) and bioinformatics analysis. The enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) ( = 120) and immunohistochemistry (IHC) ( = 70) were used to confirm our findings. The 2-DE analysis revealed that 20 differentially expressed proteins were detected in OPMD and OSCC (