ecancermedicalscience

Review

Looking beyond the smokescreen: can the oral microbiome be a tool or target in the management of tobacco-associated oral cancer?

1 Feb 2021
Snehal Kadam, Madhusoodhanan Vandana, Sudhanshu Patwardhan, Karishma S Kaushik

A wide range of microbes inhabit the oral cavity, and bacterial and fungal communities most often exist as structured communities or biofilms. The use of tobacco alters the structure of the oral microbiome, including that of potentially malignant lesions, and the altered oral microbiome influences key microenvironmental changes such as chronic inflammation, secretion of carcinogenic toxins, cellular and tissue remodelling and suppression of apoptosis. Given this, it is clear that the bacterial and fungal biofilms in potentially malignant states are likely not passive entities, but could play a critical role in shaping potential malignant and carcinogenic conditions. This holds potential towards leveraging the oral microbiome for the management of tobacco-associated potentially malignant lesions and oral cancer. Here, we explore this line of investigation by reviewing the effects of tobacco in shaping the oral microbiome, and analyse the available evidence in the light of the microbiome of oral potentially malignant and cancerous lesions, and the role of dysbiosis in carcinogenesis. Finally, we discuss possible interventions and approaches using which the oral microbiome could be leveraged towards precision-based oral cancer therapeutics.

Related Articles

Sarthak Tandon, Manoj Gupta, Parveen Ahlawat, Madhur Verma, Apoorva Nayak, Akash Bellige, Kundan S Chufal, Jaskaran S Sethi, Anjali Pahuja, Shreya Rai, Abhishek Singh, Vikas Arora, Vishal Yadav, David K Simson, Irfan Ahmad, Sandeep Singh, Dipesh Vashisht, Azhar Ansari, Rashmi Bansal, Abhishek Bhadri, Harsh Vyas, Manindra Mishra, Rajat Saha, Mudit Agarwal, Partha S Chowdhary, Ajay K Dewan, Munish Gairola
Samapika Bhaumik, Prarabdh Singh, Narapareddy Venkata Dinesh Reddy, Shreya Jain, Sambit S Nanda, Paramita Paul, Ashutosh Mukherji, Satyajit Pradhan
Jessica O Esangbedo, Rachael O Oduyemi, Damilare Aduroja, Yetunde O Tola, Olajumoke Dele-Alonge, Emmanuel O Adesuyi, Michael O Ajiboye, Oluwadamilare Akingbade
Sergine Cindy M Zeufack, Jackton Omoto, Antony Owaya, Everlyn Adoyo, Mercy Rop, Cirillus Ogollah Osongo, Lisa Rahangdale, Craig R Cohen, Chemtai Mungo