Salivary level of interleukin-8 in oral precancer and oral squamous cell carcinoma.

Background: Interleukin 8 (IL-8) is a pro-angiogenic, pro-inflammatory mediator that belongs to the family of chemokines. Due to its pro-angiogenic characteristic, it may play a vital role in tumour angiogenesis and progression.

Objectives: This study was designed to estimate the levels of salivary IL-8 in oral precancer and oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) patients and compare them with healthy controls.