World Workshop on Oral Medicine VII: Biomarkers predicting lymphoma in the salivary glands of patients with Sjögren's syndrome-A systematic review

Identification and evolution of predictors of Sjögren's disease-associated mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue lymphoma development over time: a case-control study

BACKGROUND

Non-Hodgkin lymphomas have a substantial impact on individuals with Sjögren's disease. This study focuses on mucosal-associated lymphoid tissue (MALT) lymphomas, which constitute the majority of Sjögren's disease-associated non-Hodgkin lymphomas. We aimed to identify reliable lymphoma predictors in patients with Sjögren's disease and study their progression over time.

METHODS

In this case-control study, patients diagnosed with Sjögren's disease-associated MALT lymphoma, with a minimum of 3 years between Sjögren's disease diagnosis and MALT lymphoma diagnosis, were included from three centres specialising in Sjögren's disease (University of Athens, Athens, Greece; University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy; and University of Udine, Udine, Italy) and matched 1:1 with control participants with Sjögren's disease who did not have lymphoma according to age, sex, disease duration at last follow up, and treatment modality. Three harmonised datasets were constructed, curated, and analysed to identify MALT lymphoma predictors, representing three distinct timepoints in lymphomagenesis progression: V1 at Sjögren's disease diagnosis, V2 3-4 years before lymphoma diagnosis, and V3 0·5-1·5 years before lymphoma diagnosis. All recruited patients fulfilled the 2016 American College of Rheumatology-European League Against Rheumatism criteria for Sjögren's disease. The primary outcome was to identify MALT lymphoma predictors in Sjögren's disease, present at the timepoint of Sjögren's disease diagnosis and 3-4 years before the diagnosis of MALT lymphoma. A fast correlation-based feature selection and logistic regression model was used at V1 and V2 to identify MALT lymphoma predictors. The progression of potential predictors was studied across V1, V2, and V3. Histological parameters were not included in the analysis. An individual with lived experience of Sjögren's disease was involved in the study design.

FINDINGS

80 patients with Sjögren's disease-associated MALT lymphoma were included in the V1 dataset, 68 in the V2 dataset, and 80 in the V3 dataset, and matched to control participants with Sjögren's disease who did not have lymphoma. In both groups, 72 (90%) of 80 participants were women and eight (10%) were men. The mean age at Sjögren's disease diagnosis was 48·6 years (SD 11·6) in the lymphoma group and 48·7 years (11·5) in the control group. All patients were White, with 88 (55%) of 160 individuals of Greek nationality and 72 (45%) of Italian nationality. At the V1 timepoint, rheumatoid factor was the only independent lymphoma predictor (odds ratio 3·33 [95% CI 1·96-5·64]). At the V2 timepoint, rheumatoid factor (3·66 [95% CI 2·08-6·42]) and European League Against Rheumatism Sjögren's Syndrome Disease Activity Index ≥5 (3·88 [1·69-8·90]) were identified as independent lymphoma risk factors. The high disease activity during the transition from the V1 to V2 timepoint was attributed to specific B-cell-derived manifestations, including cryoglobulinaemia and glandular, cutaneous, and hematological manifestations.

INTERPRETATION

Following up patients with high-risk of Sjögren's disease-associated MALT lymphoma based on the temporal progression of predictors presents an opportunity for early diagnosis and potential therapeutic interventions. Rheumatoid factor was the earliest and most persistent independent predictor of lymphoma. Specific B-cell manifestations in combination with rheumatoid factor indicate a more advanced stage of the lymphomagenesis process.

FUNDING

European Commission-Horizon 2020.

Connecting salivary gland inflammation to specific symptoms in Sjögren's disease

INTRODUCTION

The complex nature of Sjögren's Disease (SjD) necessitates a comprehensive and patient-centered approach in both diagnosis and management. This narrative review emphasizes the need for a holistic understanding of the connection between salivary gland inflammation and oral symptoms in SjD.

AREAS COVERED

The intricate relationship between salivary gland inflammation and dry mouth is explored, highlighting the variability in associations reported in studies. The association of the severity of xerostomia and degree of inflammation is also discussed. The frequent presence of recurrent sialadenitis in SjD further accentuates the connection of compromised salivary gland function and inflammation. The review additionally discusses local inflammatory factors assessed through salivary gland biopsies, which could potentially serve as predictors for lymphoma development in SjD. Insights into compromised quality of life and hypercoagulable state and their association with salivary gland inflammations are provided. Advancements in noninvasive imaging techniques, particularly salivary gland ultrasonography and color Doppler ultrasound, offer promising avenues for noninvasive assessment of inflammation.

EXPERT OPINION

There is a need for longitudinal studies to unravel the connections between salivary gland inflammation and oral symptoms. This will enhance management strategies and optimize treatment outcomes for SjD patients.

MALT lymphoma of the head and neck: Surgery alone can be an option

OBJECTIVES

To retrospectively analyze the general characteristics of MALT lymphoma in the head and neck and provide clinicians with new ideas for diagnosis and treatment.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

114 (94.2%) of 121 complete follow-up data were obtained. A single-center retrospective study was conducted on 114 patients with MALT diagnosed from 2010 to 2020.

RESULTS

42 (36.8%) of 114 patients had Sjogren's syndrome before, and there is a significant difference in gender between SS-MALT and non-SS-MALT. As for the treatment method, there is no significant difference in the overall survival between surgery with or without chemoradiotherapy.

CONCLUSION

MALT lymphoma of the head and neck is clinically characterized by a favorable prognosis, always associated with SS. Surgery with or without chemoradiotherapy has little difference in the prolongation of survival time.

Oral manifestations of extranodal lymphomas - a review of the literature with emphasis on clinical implications for the practicing dentist

OBJECTIVE

Lymphoma is a heterogenous group of malignant tumours with proliferation of lymphoid cells or their precursors. Lymphomas in the head and neck region are usually found in Waldeyer's ring. Intraoral lymphomas are rare and the clinical presentation and roentgenological appearance may resemble other and benign conditions, entailing a risk for diagnostic delay. The objective of the present literature review was to identify subjective symptoms, clinical presentations and roentgenological appearances which should raise suspicion of lymphoma.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The literature review identified 41 case series with head and neck lymphomas (n = 3880) and 384 case reports (n = 567 cases) of intraoral lymphomas. Information of demographics, clinical presentation, subjective symptoms and roentgenological appearance was registered.

RESULTS

The most common clinical presentation was a broad-based swelling or bulging mass with or without simultaneous ulceration, frequently with a relatively rapid growth pattern. Subjective symptoms varied considerably. Intraosseous lymphomas were frequently associated with paresthaesia or numbness. The most common roentgenological finding was a radiolucency with diffuse demarcation.

CONCLUSIONS

The clinical presentation, symptomatology and roentgenological appearance of intraoral lymphomas varied. Diagnostic delay was usually associated with a lymphoma initially misdiagnosed as a lesion of dental aetiology or a reactive lesion. Inadequate healing after tooth extraction or symptoms of numbness or pain without obvious dental origin should merit further clinical and roentgenological examination. Biopsy is indicated when there is the slightest doubt of the true nature of mucosal lesion.

Lymphomagenesis predictors and related pathogenesis

Sjögren's syndrome (SS) is a systemic autoimmune disease characterised by a wide range of clinical manifestations and complications, including B-cell lymphoma. This study aims to describe the predictors associated with lymphomagenesis in patients with Sjögren's syndrome, emphasising the pathophysiological bases that support this association. We performed a review of the literature published through a comprehensive search strategy in PubMed/MEDLINE, Scopus, and Web of science. Forty publications describing a total of 45,208 patients with SS were retrieved. The predictors were grouped according to their pathophysiological role in the lymphoproliferation process. Also, some new biomarkers such as MicroRNAs, P2X7 receptor-NLRP3 inflammasome, Thymic stromal lymphopoietin, and Three-prime repair exonuclease 1 (TREX1) were identified. The knowledge of the pathophysiology allows the discrimination of markers that participate in the initial stages. Considering that the lymphoproliferation process includes the progression of lymphoma towards more aggressive subtypes, it is essential to recognise biomarkers associated with a worse prognosis.

Vibrational Spectroscopy Saliva Profiling as Biometric Tool for Disease Diagnostics: A Systematic Literature

Saliva is a biofluid that can be considered as a "mirror" reflecting our body's health status. Vibrational spectroscopy, Raman and infrared, can provide a detailed salivary fingerprint that can be used for disease biomarker discovery. We propose a systematic literature review based on the PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) guidelines to evaluate the potential of vibrational spectroscopy to diagnose oral and general diseases using saliva as a biological specimen. Literature searches were recently conducted in May 2020 through MEDLINE-PubMed and Scopus databases, without date limitation. Finally, over a period of 10 years, 18 publications were included reporting on 10 diseases (three oral and seven general diseases), with very high diagnostic performance rates in terms of sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy. Thirteen articles were related to six different cancers of the following anatomical sites: mouth, nasopharynx, lung, esophagus, stomach, and breast. The other diseases investigated and included in this review were periodontitis, Sjögren's syndrome, diabetes, and myocardial infarction. Moreover, most articles focused on Raman spectroscopy (n = 16/18) and more specifically surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (n = 12/18). Interestingly, vibrational spectroscopy appears promising as a rapid, label-free, and non-invasive diagnostic salivary biometric tool. Furthermore, it could be adapted to investigate subclinical diseases-even if developmental studies are required.

Shear wave elastography as a new method to identify parotid lymphoma in primary Sjögren Syndrome patients: an observational study

Parotid non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) in primary Sjögren syndrome (pSS) has no specific biomarker for diagnosis. Salivary glands ultrasound (US) is largely used, but its contribution in detecting parotid NHL has not been established. The aim of our study was to determine the added value of bidimensional shear wave elastography (2D-SWE) in pSS diagnosis and to determine its accuracy in identifying parotid NHL. Grey-scale US (GSUS) and 2D-SWE of salivary glands were performed in 35 patients with pSS and 35 healthy controls. The GSUS scores were calculated and the mean of three SWE consecutive measurements was used to appreciate the gland stiffness. SWE increase the diagnostic rate at a cut-off of 6.45 kPa (from 88.6 to 94.2%, p < 0.001) only if applied in patients with insufficient GSUS criteria for pSS diagnosis. The parotid glands with NHL (8 patients, all mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue type) had hyperechoic bands in more than half of the glandular parenchyma (in 68.75% of the glands), large hypoechoic area > 20 mm (all glands), traced gland area over 5 cm² (all glands), parotid US score greater than 13 (in 68.75% of the glands), and high stiffness (elasticity modulus 13.9 ± 4.08 vs 6.32 ± 2.24) (all p < 0.001). These findings give high sensitivity (92.3%), specificity (100%), and positive (100%) and negative predictive values (98.3%) for NHL identification. The rest of GSUS findings did not correlate with the classic risk factors for lymphoma development (all p > 0.05). 2D-SWE had added value for pSS diagnosis in cases where GSUS aspect is normal or nonspecific. The higher stiffness of parotid NHL can be used for early diagnosis, biopsy guidance, and, possible, for treatment monitoring.

A Novel Proposal of Salivary Lymphocyte Detection and Phenotyping in Patients Affected by Sjogren's Syndrome

A preliminary evaluation of the parotid secretion cellular composition in patients with Sjogren’s Syndrome (SS) and a diagnostic accuracy assessment of salivary lymphocyte detection and immunophenotyping in Sjogren’s Syndrome diagnosis and prognosis were performed. The study included 40 consecutive patients, aged 19–60 years, with parenchymal sialadenitis associated with Sjogren’s Syndrome, and 20 healthy donors. The exclusion criteria were exacerbation of sialadenitis, chronic infections, malignant neoplasms, and lymphoproliferative diseases. The standard diagnostic tests were minor salivary gland biopsy and parotid sialography. Immunophenotyping of parotid secretion lymphocytes was performed by multicolor flow cytometry. Lymphocytes were detectable in parotid secretion of patients affected by Sjogren’s Syndrome, both primary (pSS) and secondary (sSS) form, but not in that from healthy donors. Sensitivity, specificity, positive, and negative predictive values of lymphocytes detection in parotid saliva were 77.5%, 100%, 100%, and 69%, respectively. The mean numbers of the total T-cell population, T-helper cells, and T-cytotoxic cells were 71.7%, 41.6%, and 53%, respectively. The immunophenotype of lymphocytes obtained by patients’ parotid flow resembles the immunophenotypes of glandular biopsies currently known. Our preliminary data suggest the use of saliva as an alternative and non-invasive method for evaluating the prognosis of Sjogren’s Syndrome.

Saliva and Oral Diseases

Saliva is a fascinating biological fluid which has all the features of a perfect diagnostic tool. In fact, its collection is rapid, simple, and noninvasive. Thanks to several transport mechanisms and its intimate contact with crevicular fluid, saliva contains hundreds of proteins deriving from plasma. Advances in analytical techniques have opened a new era-called "salivaomics"-that investigates the salivary proteome, transcriptome, microRNAs, metabolome, and microbiome. In recent years, researchers have tried to find salivary biomarkers for oral and systemic diseases with various protocols and technologies. The review aspires to provide an overall perspective of salivary biomarkers concerning oral diseases such as lichen planus, oral cancer, blistering diseases, and psoriasis. Saliva has proved to be a promising substrate for the early detection of oral diseases and the evaluation of therapeutic response. However, the wide variation in sampling, processing, and measuring of salivary elements still represents a limit for the application in clinical practice.