RESUMO
OBJECTIVE: To determine the usefulness of specific and reliable serum biomarkers to predict cervical lymph node metastasis. METHODS: A cross-sectional study of cases and controls. Thirty-nine serum samples of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma were collected from patients during neoplasm resection. Another 10 serum samples were collected from healthy individuals as a control group. Selected serum biomarkers were E-cadherin, MMP-2, MMP-9, active MMP-13, and p53 autoantibodies. RESULTS: We found a correlation between active MMP-13 (>685 pg/mL; ROC curve analysis 95% CI for sensitivity 79.6-99.3; specificity 49.2-95.1; positive predictive value 65-100; and negative predictive value 36-100) as well as the presence of p53 autoantibodies and lymph node metastasis. Multimarker analysis using MMP-13 and p53 autoantibodies together provided better sensitivity (76%) and specificity (100%). CONCLUSIONS: The combined determination of active MMP-13 and p53 autoantibodies could improve diagnosis of lymphatic metastasis in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma and aid therapeutic decision making.
