Epigenetics in oral squamous cell carcinoma

Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is the most common type of oral neoplasm, accounting for over 90% of all oral malignancies and 38% of head and neck tumors. Worldwide, OSCC is the eighth most common human cancer, with more than 500,000 new cases being diagnosed every year with a fairly onerous pr...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of oral and maxillofacial pathology : JOMFP 2017-05, Vol.21 (2), p.252-259
Main Authors: Hema, K N, Smitha, T, Sheethal, H S, Mirnalini, S Angeline
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Carcinogenesis
Chromatin
DNA methylation
Epigenetic inheritance
Epigenetics
Genetic aspects
Human papillomavirus
Kinases
Mouth cancer
Mutation
Neck
Nucleotide sequence
Oral cancer
Oral squamous cell carcinoma
Review
Risk factors
Smoking
Squamous cell carcinoma
Tumorigenesis
Tumors
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Summary:Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is the most common type of oral neoplasm, accounting for over 90% of all oral malignancies and 38% of head and neck tumors. Worldwide, OSCC is the eighth most common human cancer, with more than 500,000 new cases being diagnosed every year with a fairly onerous prognosis, encouraging further research on factors that might modify disease outcome. Genetic and/or environmental risk factors associated with the development of oral cancer have been sufficiently understood (smoking, alcohol, betel, diet, living habits, etc.). Knowledge of the genetic basis in oral carcinogenesis is still a challenging task. To improve the diagnosis and prevention, a previously unknown type of chromatin modification, known as epigenetic, which is defined as heritable DNA changes that are not encoded in the sequence itself and which are reversible and increasingly appear to serve fundamental roles in cell differentiation and development are studied. Tumors shed their DNA into the blood and epigenetic changes that occur early during tumorigenesis, sometimes even in premalignant lesions, can provide valuable biomarkers. Key components involved in epigenetic regulation are DNA methylation, histone modifications and modifications in micro ribonucleic acids (miRNAs). Epigenetic modifications may contribute to aberrant epigenetic mechanisms seen in oral precancers and cancers. In the near future, epigenetic variations found in oral dysplastic cells can act as a molecular fingerprint for malignancies.
ISSN:0973-029X
1998-393X
DOI:10.4103/jomfp.JOMFP_150_17