Malondialdehyde, an Oxidative Stress Marker in Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma—A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Objective: To qualitative and quantitatively review published literature assessing the oxidative stress marker malondialdehyde (MDA) in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC). Methodology: Pubmed (MeSH), Science Direct, Scopus, Web of Science, Willey Online Library, Cochrane, and Cross Reference were searched for studies assessing MDA levels in OSCC samples. Results: From the 1008 articles identified, 849 were excluded based on title and abstract screening due to duplication and irrelevance to the topic of interest. Full-text assessment of the remaining 159 articles led to the inclusion of only 46 articles that satisfied the selection criteria. Of these, only 26 studies had data compatible for quantitative analysis. The MDA levels in OSCC groups are significantly increased (p < 0.00001) in plasma, serum, and saliva samples in the majority of the studies evaluated. In contrast, MDA levels in OSCC tissue samples are significantly attenuated (p < 0.00001) compared to healthy controls, supported by fewer studies. Conclusions: The augmented MDA levels in plasma, serum, and saliva samples of the OSCC reflect the heightened oxidative stress level accurately. Further studies are required to understand the attenuated MDA levels in the tissue samples of OSCC. Correlation analysis between MDA levels with established clinicopathological prognostic markers could aid in formulating oxidative stress-based prognostication and treatment planning.