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Scientific Oral Presentations

Laryngology/Broncho-Esophagology

Session: Scientific Oral Presentation 1 - Laryngology/Broncho-Esophagology

Microbial Profiling for Non-Invasive Laryngeal Cancer Diagnosis Using Saliva and Oropharyngeal Samples

Saturday, October 11, 2025
10:12 AM - 10:18 AM EDT
Location: 139
Disclosure(s):
Emma R. Thompson, BA:

faculty for this accredited education activity has no relationship(s) with ineligible companies to disclose.

Introduction: Laryngeal cancer is visualized by laryngoscopy and diagnosed by biopsy, which is invasive, costly, and time-consuming. This study explores the microbial composition of saliva and oropharyngeal samples from laryngeal cancer and control patients to identify potential alternative diagnostic approaches.

Methods: Prospective study using 43 saliva and 37 oropharyngeal samples collected between 01/2023 and 02/2024, from treatment-naive laryngeal cancer patients and 24 patients undergoing otolaryngological surgery unrelated to oral or laryngeal diseases. Each sample underwent DNA extraction and triplicate polymerase chain reaction of the V3/V4 region of the 16S rRNA gene. Paired end 2x300bp sequencing using Illumina NextSeq 2000 was performed. 12 samples with < 2500 pairs were excluded. Amplicon sequence variants were identified via DADA2 and taxa were classified using a hybrid alignment/ naïve Bayes approach.

Results: Most patients were male (70% cancer, 70% controls) and smokers (55% cancer, 60% controls). Controlling for smoking status, cancer patients’ saliva contained more Slackia exigua (p=.006) and less Prevotella denticola and Veillonella parvula than controls (p=.041 for both). In cancer patients’ oropharyngeal samples, Prevotella denticola (p=.003), Streptococcus salivarius (p=.006), Atopobium (p=.007), Corynebacterium durum (p=.012), Prevotella nigrescens (p=.019), and Corynebacterium matruchotii (p=.032) were reduced.

Conclusions: A shift towards a pathogenic microbiome, with reduced health-associated oral bacteria, aligns with inflammation and mucosal damage linked to laryngeal cancer. Slackia exigua has been identified in intestinal infections and as a potential biomarker for gastric and colorectal cancers. Assessment of salivary Slackia exigua may lead to a low cost, non-invasive, diagnostic tool for early laryngeal cancer detection. Future studies examining if Slackia exigua influences the tumor microenvironment or longitudinal studies tracking microbial changes through laryngeal cancer progression would help clarify its significance and utility.

    Presenting Author(s)

  • Emma R. Thompson, BA

    4th year medical student
    Rutgers New Jersey Medical School
    Jersey City, New Jersey, United States

    Disclosure(s):

    faculty for this accredited education activity has no relationship(s) with ineligible companies to disclose.

    • Co-Author(s)

  • AS

    Avi Shah, BS

    Rutgers New Jersey Medical School, Division of Infectious Disease, Center for Data Science, Newark, NJ, USA, United States

    Disclosure information not submitted.

  • SZ

    Sydney R. Zaransky, DO

    Resident
    Rutgers, New Jersey Medical School
    Newark, NJ, United States

    Disclosure information not submitted.

  • AD

    Aatin K. Dhanda, BA

    Department of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery / Houston Methodist Hospital, United States

    Disclosure information not submitted.

  • KB

    Kristy Bono, MD

    Rutgers New Jersey Medical School, Department of Internal Medicine, Newark, NJ, USA, United States

    Disclosure information not submitted.

  • JB

    Jamie Bono, DO, MS

    Rowan-Virtua School of Osteopathic Medicine, Department of Medicine, Stratford, NJ, USA, United States

    Disclosure information not submitted.

  • SL

    Sagar Lamichhane, MBS

    Rutgers School of Graduate Studies, Newark, NJ, USA, United States

    Disclosure information not submitted.

  • Avleen K. Mudhar, BA

    Penn Dental Medicine Student
    Rutgers University-New Brunswick, Department of Cell Biology and Neuroscience and English, New Brunswick, NJ, USA
    Plainsboro, NJ, United States

    Disclosure information not submitted.

  • Rachel J. Kaye, MD

    Associate Professor
    Rutgers New Jersey Medical School
    Newark, New Jersey, United States

    Disclosure information not submitted.

  • WJ

    W. Evan Johnson, PhD

    Rutgers New Jersey Medical School, Division of Infectious Disease, Center for Data Science, Newark, NJ, USA, United States

    Disclosure information not submitted.

  • CC

    Carla Cugini, PhD

    Rutgers Health School of Dental Medicine, Department of Oral Biology, Newark, NJ, USA, United States

    Disclosure information not submitted.

    • Senior Author(s)

  • Kenneth Yan, MD, PhD

    Assistant Professor
    Rutgers New Jersey Medical School
    Newark, NJ, United States

    Disclosure information not submitted.