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Review
. 2023 Mar 23:4:1166037.
doi: 10.3389/froh.2023.1166037. eCollection 2023.

Influence of site and smoking on malignant transformation in the oral cavity: Is the microbiome the missing link?

Sheila Galvin  1 , Gary P Moran  2 , Claire M Healy  1
Affiliations
Review

Influence of site and smoking on malignant transformation in the oral cavity: Is the microbiome the missing link?

Sheila Galvin et al. Front Oral Health. .

Abstract

The tongue and floor of the mouth are high-risk sites for oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC), while smoking is its most significant risk factor. Recently, questions have been raised as to the role of the oral microbiome in OSCC because of a wealth of evidence demonstrating that the microbiome of OSCC differs from that of healthy mucosa. However, oral site and smoking also have a significant impact on oral microbial communities, and to date, the role these factors play in influencing the dysbiotic microbial communities of OSCC and precursor lesions has not been considered. This review aims to examine the influence of site and smoking on the oral microbiome and, in turn, whether these microbiome changes could be involved in oral carcinogenesis.

Keywords: OSCC; oral cancer; oral leukoplakia; oral microbiome; oral potentially malignant disorders; smoking.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Graphic demonstrating MTRs at different oral mucosal sites and dominant taxonomic groups of bacteria at each site. MTRs, malignant transformation rates.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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