Evidence mapPaperPMID 41683639Full record

ReviewInternational journal of molecular sciences2026

Biomarkers of Common Molecular Dysregulation in Tumor Tissue and Peritumor Mucosa in Head and Neck SCC: Insights into Field Cancerization.

Lyuben Dimitrov, Gergana S Stancheva, Silva G Kyurkchiyan, Milena Mitkova, Iglika Stancheva, Silviya Valcheva, Kristina Komitova, Silviya Skelina, Julian Rangachev, Todor M Popov

Abstract readReview
In one paragraph

Review in International journal of molecular sciences, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

10 authors.

Lyuben DimitrovDepartment of ENT, Medical University, 1527 Sofia, Bulgaria.ORCID 0009-0003-8053-8635
Gergana S StanchevaMolecular Medicine Center, Medical University, 1000 Sofia, Bulgaria.ORCID 0000-0003-4359-9618
Silva G KyurkchiyanMolecular Medicine Center, Medical University, 1000 Sofia, Bulgaria.
Milena MitkovaDepartment of ENT, Medical University, 1527 Sofia, Bulgaria.
Iglika StanchevaDepartment of ENT, Medical University, 1527 Sofia, Bulgaria.ORCID 0000-0003-0905-8746
Silviya ValchevaDepartment of ENT, Medical University, 1527 Sofia, Bulgaria.
Kristina KomitovaDepartment of ENT, Medical University, 1527 Sofia, Bulgaria.
Silviya SkelinaDepartment of Neurology, Medical University, 1000 Sofia, Bulgaria.
Julian RangachevMolecular Medicine Center, Medical University, 1000 Sofia, Bulgaria.
Todor M PopovDepartment of ENT, Medical University, 1527 Sofia, Bulgaria.ORCID 0000-0002-8205-3573

Funding

Ministry of Education and Science BG-RRP-2.004- 0004-C01, group 3.1.5
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Field cancerization is a fundamental paradigm in tumorigenesis, emphasizing that carcinogenesis begins long before the appearance of clinically detectable lesions and often precedes recognizable premalignant changes. A direct manifestation of this process is the molecular dysregulation observed in the peritumoral mucosa-histologically normal-appearing tissue that nonetheless exhibits genetic and epigenetic alterations similar to those of the adjacent tumor. This review summarizes current evidence on the molecular alterations shared between tumor tissue and peritumoral mucosa in HNSCC and evaluates their potential as biomarkers for defining molecular margins and improving surgical precision. A literature search was conducted in PubMed using combinations of the keywords "peritumor," "laryngeal", "HNSCC," and "field cancerization." Studies were included if they directly compared tumor tissue with peritumoral mucosa and, preferably, a third set of distant normal control samples. Only nine studies met the inclusion criteria, highlighting the scarcity of focused research in this area. Reported biomarkers exhibiting comparable dysregulation in both tumor and peritumor tissues include MDM2, E2F2, CDKN2A/p16, ETS-1, MGMT, and multiple microRNAs (e.g., miR-21, miR-96-5p, miR-145-5p). These molecular signatures demonstrate the presence of a biologically altered field extending beyond histologically defined tumor margins. Peritumoral mucosal dysregulation, as a consequence of field cancerization, underscores the need to redefine surgical margins at the molecular level. The identification and validation of biomarkers reflecting this continuum could enable the establishment of molecular margins-improving risk assessment, reducing local recurrence, and advancing personalized oncologic surgery in HNSCC. Standardizing definitions and sampling protocols for "normal adjacent tissue" remains essential for future translational research.

Indexed as

Biomarkers, TumorHead and Neck NeoplasmsSquamous Cell Carcinoma of Head and NeckGene Expression Regulation, NeoplasticHumansMicroRNAsMucous MembraneBiomarkers, TumorMicroRNAsbiomarkersCDKN2AE2F2field cancerizationhead and neck squamous cell carcinomalaryngeal carcinomaMDM2microRNAmolecular marginsperitumoral mucosa

Identifiers

PMID41683639
PMCPMC12898216

What Socratic holds

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LicenceCC BY
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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.