Diagnostic value and application prospect of tumor abnormal protein test in head and neck tumors

Abstract

Tumor abnormal protein (TAP) test also called abnormal glycoprotein chain test assesses the level of abnormal glycosylation in the body by measuring the agglutination of 10 different agglutinins, including wheat germ agglutinin, cuttle bean agglutinin, and so on. The lectins are proteins containing one or more binding sites with a strong affinity for particular carbohydrate chains that can specifically identify and bind to abnormal glycan molecules on malignant cells. It has been widely used clinically in recent years for the early diagnosis of tumourigenesis. Numerous studies have been conducted to investigate the mechanisms by which lectins bind to a set of glycans. As the incidence of head and neck cancer is high, with squamous cell carcinoma being the most common type. The lack of highly specific and sensitive tests makes early screening difficult, and treatment is often delayed, resulting in organ loss or even death, and often has a negative psychological impact. This narrative review will analyze the principle and current status of clinical application of TAP detection to prove TAP test will offer more sensitive methods for the precancerous risk assessment of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma, as well as for tracking metastases and recurrence.