Oral mucosal scrapes capture cancer associated microRNA expression consistent with histopathology

Kaunein, N; McCullough, M; Butler, C; Bhatia, N; Tan, I; Moore, C; Angel, C; Yap, T

Author(s): Kaunein, N; McCullough, M; Butler, C; Bhatia, N; Tan, I; Moore, C; Angel, C; Yap, T;
Details: Publication Year 2026-03-25,Volume 16,Issue #1,Page 14947
Journal Title: Scientific Reports
Publication Type: Research article
Abstract: Oral mucosal abnormalities considered to have malignant potential may involve a large area of mucosa. Standard care histopathological investigation is invasive, limited to site selection and subject to variation in assessment between pathologists. A quantitative, minimally invasive, rapidly collected, oral mucosal site-specific assessment will assist in decision making and increase diagnostic precision. This study aimed to validate a workflow to analyse oral scrape derived cancer-associated microRNA analysis for mucosal site-specific assessment as a surrogate biomarker to histopathological diagnosis. Forty-one oral scrapes were collected from 33 patients undergoing investigation at the Royal Dental Hospital of Melbourne before mucosal biopsy. RNA from oral scrapes was used to investigate ten cancer-associated microRNAs. An algorithm for categorical high or low-risk based on histopathological diagnosis was developed. The novel risk stratification algorithm utilised two microRNAs and categorised all cases of carcinoma and severe dysplasia as high-risk and accurately distinguished all non-potentially malignant disorders as low-risk lesions. This study provides proof-of-concept that oral scrapes can be predictably collected in a clinical workflow to assess the expression of cancer-associated microRNA specific to an oral mucosal site with minimal invasiveness.
Publisher: Springer Nature
Keywords: Humans; *MicroRNAs/genetics/metabolism; *Mouth Mucosa/pathology/metabolism; *Mouth Neoplasms/genetics/pathology/diagnosis; Female; Male; Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; Biomarkers, Tumor/genetics; Algorithms; Middle Aged; Aged; Biopsy; Algorithm; MicroRNA; Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma; Scrapes; miR-181; miR-21; miR-99a
Department(s): Pathology
Publisher's Version: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-026-45078-z
Open Access at Publisher's Site: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-026-45078-z
Terms of Use/Rights Notice: Refer to copyright notice on published article.

Creation Date: 2026-04-07 12:09:44

Last Modified: 2026-06-30 12:00:01