Clinical performance and utility of a NNMT-based urine test for bladder cancer.

Background: Bladder cancer (BC) represents the most common neoplasm of the urinary tract. Although cystoscopy and urine cytology represent the gold standard methods to monitor BC, both procedures have limitations. Therefore, the identification of reliable biomarkers for early and noninvasive detection of BC is urgently required.

Salivary interleukin-1β: Oral inflammatory biomarker in patients with psoriasis.

Objective: To evaluate salivary interleukin (IL)-1β levels in patients with psoriasis, before and after treatment with tumour necrosis factor (TNF)-α inhibitors.

Methods: In this pilot study, salivary secretions were collected from patients with psoriasis and untreated healthy control subjects at baseline, and from patients after 12 weeks' treatment with TNF-α inhibitors. IL-1β levels were determined in saliva samples via enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays, undertaken before and after TNF-α inhibitor treatment.

Identification and characterization of cancer stem cells from head and neck squamous cell carcinoma cell lines.

Background/aims: Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) ranks sixth worldwide for tumor-related mortality. A subpopulation of tumor cells, termed cancer stem cells (CSCs), has the ability to support cancer growth. Therefore, profiling CSC-enriched populations could be a reliable tool to study cancer biology.

RNA-mediated gene silencing of nicotinamide N-methyltransferase is associated with decreased tumorigenicity in human oral carcinoma cells.

Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is the most common type of oral cancer. Despite progress in the treatment of OSCC, overall survival has not improved substantially in the last three decades. Therefore, identification of reliable biomarkers becomes essential to develop effective anti-cancer therapy.