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. 2025 Aug 15;39(15):e10063.
doi: 10.1002/rcm.10063.

Identification of Aerobic Salivary Microorganisms in Patients With Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma Using MALDI-TOF MS: Preliminary Findings From a Pilot Study

Milena da Silva Moreira  1 , Giovanna Schmitz  1 , Mariana de Sá Alves  1 , Maria Anita Mendes  2 , Mônica Ghislaine Oliveira Alves  1 , Levy Anderson César Alves  3   4 , Meriellen Dias  2 , Celso Muller Bandeira  1 , Gabrielle Luana Jimenez Teodoro Nepomuceno  5 , Herculano da Silva Martinho  5 , Janete Dias Almeida  1
Affiliations

Identification of Aerobic Salivary Microorganisms in Patients With Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma Using MALDI-TOF MS: Preliminary Findings From a Pilot Study

Milena da Silva Moreira et al. Rapid Commun Mass Spectrom. .

Abstract

Rationale: Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is a multifactorial disease, and emerging evidence links the oral microbiome to its development. Rapid, noninvasive identification of salivary microorganisms may offer novel diagnostic and prognostic insights into oral cancer.

Methods: Salivary microbiota from OSCC patients and healthy individuals were analyzed using MALDI Biotyper. Saliva samples were cultured, and microbial identification was performed based on protein spectral profiles using an UltrafleXtreme MALDI-TOF mass spectrometer.

Results: Thirteen OSCC patients (mean age 55 ± 11 years; 69% male) and nineteen healthy controls (mean age 55 ± 10 years; 79% male) were analyzed. Distinct microbial profiles were observed in OSCC patients, including pathogenic species previously associated with carcinogenesis, suggesting potential biomarkers for oral cancer.

Conclusions: The MALDI Biotyper is an effective, noninvasive tool for identifying salivary microbiota. Its application may support early diagnosis and prognosis of OSCC, reinforcing the significance of the oral microbiome in cancer etiology.

Keywords: MALDI‐TOF MS; oral cancer; salivary microorganisms.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

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