Impact of Oral Microbiome on Head and Neck Cancer Development: A Critical Review

A significant contributor to cancer-related morbidity and mortality worldwide is head neck cancer (HNC). Depending on the affected site, its etiology may include risk factors like geographic differences, genetic predisposition, gender, age, type of diet, smoking and/or alcohol consumption habits, sexual preferences. Dysbiosis, or disruption oral microbiota balance, another proposed causative factor for HNC. The home over 1,000 microbial species, including pathogenic commensal strains. Disruption healthy balance cavity triggers carcinogenic mechanisms by inducing chronic inflammation in which acts as a pro-carcinogenic an immune-suppressed microenvironment that induces cell proliferation inhibits apoptosis. Recent studies have also found members human microbiome are strongly linked wide range types, with well-established associations between proliferation. Aside from inflammation, bacterial genome, toxins, metabolites been additional induce facilitate carcinogenesis progression region. However, precise remain largely unknown. greater understanding underlying lead development novel preventive customized treatments can be used routine clinical practice. link dysbiosis HNC relatively new well-received topic oncological dental communities. Therefore, this review intends provide comprehensive summary currently available information potential mechanistic relationships changes HNC, still research phase.