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Video

Head and Neck Surgery

(A573) Lipid Composition of Circulating Extracellular Vesicles as a Biomarker for Head and Neck Cancer

Monday, October 13, 2025
12:00 PM - 1:00 PM EDT
Location: OTO EXPO, Posters

    Presenting Author(s)

  • Wyatt Wofford, BS

    MD/PhD Candidate (MS3)
    Medical University of South Carolina
    Charleston, South Carolina, United States

    • Co-Author(s)

  • Lauren A. Howser, MD

    Resident Physician
    Medical University of South Carolina
    Charleston, South Carolina, United States

    • Senior Author(s)

  • AK

    Alexandra Kejner, MD

    Associate Professor
    Medical University of South Carolina Rutledge Tower Annex
    CHARLESTON, South Carolina, United States

    • Co-Author(s)

  • BO

    Besim Ogretmen, PhD

    Professor of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
    Medical University of South Carolina
    Charleston SC, South Carolina, United States

Disclosure(s):
Wyatt Wofford, BS: No relevant relationships to disclose.
Lauren A. Howser, MD: No relevant relationships to disclose.
Alexandra Kejner, MD: No relevant relationships to disclose.
Besim Ogretmen, PhD: No relevant relationships to disclose.


Introduction: Oral cavity squamous cell carcinoma (OCSCC) is a highly aggressive cancer with poor outcomes, primarily due to late-stage diagnoses and frequent recurrence. Current diagnostic methods lack reliable tools for early detection. Extracellular vehicles (EVs) are lipid-coated particles shed from cancer cells that carry tumor-specific lipid profiles, which may serve as novel non-invasive biomarkers. This study aims to characterize EV lipid profiles using lipidomics to identify OCSCC biomarkers.

Methods: Plasma samples from 10 OCSCC patients (T4) and 10 controls with benign head and neck pathology were analyzed. EVs were isolated using magnetic bead positive selection, and their lipid profiles were quantified using liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry. Three separate sphingolipid-focused lipid profiles were quantified: ceramide/sphingosine (Cer-Sph), hexosyl-ceramide (Hex-Cer), and lactosyl-ceramide (Lac-Cer). Group comparisons were performed using two-way ANOVA and principal component analysis (PCA), while associations with clinical were evaluated using ANOVA.

Results: Preliminary findings revealed 18 specific lipids elevated 1.5-fold in OCSCC EVs compared to control, with C24-ceramide (C24-Cer) showing the most significant difference (15.99 vs 8.24 pmole/mL, p=0.072). PCA demonstrated dysregulation in the lipid profile within the OCSCC group. Recurrence was associated with elevated levels of C24:1Lact-Cer (p=0.047), C26:1Lact-Cer (p=0.047), and C22:1Lact-Cer (p=0.07) in the OCSCC cohort. Additionally, higher levels of dhSph-1P (p=0.16), Hexosyl-Sph (p=0.11), and C20:1Lact-Cer (p=0.15) were linked to increased nodal stage.

Conclusions: This study identifies EV lipidomics as a promising approach for non-invasive biomarker discovery in OCSCC, particularly for predicting recurrence and stratifying disease severity. Future research will expand on these findings, using larger cohorts and paired post-operative samples to validate lipid-based diagnostic strategies.