[Clinical analysis of immune function and intestinal flora changes in patients with oral squamous carcinoma before...

To characterize the alterations of intestinal bacteria and immunological function in patients with oral squamous cell carcinoma(OSCC) before and after treatment.

From September 2020 to September 2021, 28 patients suffering OSCC and 10 healthy volunteers undergoing treatment at our hospital were enrolled in the study. Conventional treatment regimens were administered to OSCC patients and the changes in immune function, intestinal bacteria composition and short-chain fatty acids were measured 1 week before and 6 months after therapy. GraphPad Prism 9.0 software package was used for data analysis.

Immunological function measurements indicated significantly lower levels of lymphocyte subsets (including CD3⁺, CD4⁺, NK, CD4⁺/CD8⁺) and immunoglobulins (including IgG, IgA, IgM) in the peripheral blood of OSCC patients before treatment compared to healthy volunteers (P<0.05), as well as remarkably lower levels of serum cytokines (including TNF-α、IL-4、IL-6) (P<0.05). Following 6 months of conventional treatment, there was an improvement in immune function in OSCC patients compared to all patients before treatment(P<0.05). Compared to healthy volunteers, the diversity of intestinal bacteria was decreased in OSCC patients before treatment, whereas the diversity of intestinal bacteria recovered in OSCC patients after conventional treatment. At the phylum, the distribution of Epsilonbacteraeota, Proteobacteria and Patescibacteria were significantly elevated and the concentration of Verrucomicrobia was decreased in OSCC patients before treatment compared to healthy volunteers(P<0.05). Intriguingly, convention therapy reversed the disturbance of intestinal bacteria, including downgrading levels of Epsilonbacteraeota, Proteobacteria and Patescibacteria and increasing levels of Verrucomicrobia(P<0.05). Short-chain fatty acids (including acetic acid, propionic acid and butyric acid) were present at a lower level in the intestine of OSCC patients before treatment and were elevated after conventional treatment.

Conventional treatment remarkably enhances immune function, revitalizes the distribution of intestinal microflora, elevates the content of short-chain fatty acids in the intestine of OSCC patients, thereby improving the patients' health.