Bacteria to Biomarkers: The Oral Microbiome’s Role in Oscc Detection and Treatment

Abstract

Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) represents the most prevalent malignancy of head and neck cancers, accounting for over 90% of oral cancers globally. The incidence of OSCC is particularly high in Asian nations such as Bangladesh, India, and Sri Lanka, where tobacco use, alcohol consumption, and chronic inflammation are prevalent risk factors. Emerging research highlights a strong association between OSCC and specific bacterial species within the oral microbiome, suggesting that microbiota dysbiosis may contribute to cancer progression. Although bacterial species like Capnocytophaga gingivalis, Prevotella melaninogenica, S. mitis, and F. nucleatum are found in elevated quantities in OSCC samples, no definitive biomarkers for diagnosis have been established. Recent studies underscore the dynamic role of the microbiome in cancer advancement, with findings from Yang et al. at Chang Gung Memorial Hospital in Taiwan indicating that the prevalence of bacterial species such as Parvimonas micra and Fusobacterium periodonticum increases in advanced OSCC stages. These results suggest the potential of microbial profiles as non-invasive diagnostic tools for OSCC surveillance. Furthermore, research by Stashenko et al. using germ-free murine models has shown that the presence of an oral microbiome, irrespective of origin, significantly accelerates OSCC progression, driven by metabolic activity within the microbiome rather than its specific composition. These insights support the hypothesis that targeting microbiome function could offer innovative diagnostic and therapeutic strategies for OSCC, highlighting the value of microbiome modulation in cancer prevention and management.