Lectins as Biomarkers of Oral Cavity Tumors: Literature Review

Abstract

Introduction: With the development of cancer research, a peculiar group of proteins has become the subject of great attention, namely the lectins. These proteins have the ability to bind reversibly to carbohydrates with high specificity. Because of changes in cell surface glycoprotein patterns during tumor formation, lectins have an important potential role as biomarkers of neoplastic cells. Objective: To review the literature available regarding the use of lectins as biomarkers of premalignant and neoplastic lesions, with a focus on oral cavity tumors, and to assess which groups of lectins and oral lesions have been most widely studied, with the final goal of providing a profile of publications in the field. Method: Articles were searched in the Science Direct, PubMed, and BVS databases. Inclusion criteria were: publication between 1981 and 2010; keywords “lectin” AND “binding” AND “oral” AND “tumor”; and English abstract. A total of 108 articles were selected. Articles were assessed and classified according to predetermined categories, especially number/types of lesion and number/types of lectin analyzed. Results were assessed using the chi-square test. Results: An increase throughout the years was observed in the number of articles studying the use of lectins as tumor biomarkers. Squamous cell carcinoma and Arachis hypogea (PNA) were the lesion and lectin more frequently assessed, respectively. Conclusion: It is possible to conclude that the use of lectins as a therapeutic tool in cancer research has been increasing in importance, probably as a result of its wide applicability, versatility, and reliability.