The diagnostic value of soluble TIM-3 in oral squamous cell carcinoma.

Lay abstract Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is the most common type of oral cancer. It affects the patients' swallowing, speech, appearance, social interactions and other aspects. Soluble TIM-3 (sTIM-3) is a negative regulatory molecule. Serum levels of squamous cell carcinoma antigen are closely related to the growth of OSCC tumors. Herein, the serum levels of sTIM-3 in OSCC patients were examined. This study demonstrated that the combined assessment of sTIM-3 and squamous cell carcinoma antigen expression levels might better distinguish OSCC patients from healthy individuals.