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The term oral cancer (OC) includes a diverse group of tumors arising from the oral cavity. Usually included are cancers of the lip, tongue, pharynx, and oral cavity. The World Health Organization (WHO) reported oral cancer as having one of the highest mortality ratios amongst all malignancies [1]. Although OC is rare and attracts little attention, it is more common than Hodgkins disease or tumours of brain, liver, bone, thyroid gland, stomach, ovaries, or cancer of the cervix. It ranks 12th among all cancers [2]. The vast majority of malignant neoplasms in the mouth are squamous cell carcinomas (SCC). The aetiology of OC is multifactorial. Genetic, environment, social and behavioral effects may all be implicated [3]. It is well known that alcohol and tobacco are two of the most important risk factors for development of OC. The consumption of alcohol and tobacco is closely associated not only with the development of OC, but also with the course of the disease and this consumption is associated with a poor prognosis [4]. Thus, environmental insults such as alcohol, ultraviolet light, and/or tobacco products presumably increase DNA damage, reduce murine double minute (MDM2), increase p53 expression, and thereby activate clusters of genes associated with cell growth, and/or cell death [5]. Many studies reported that, up to three-quarters of OC could be prevented by avoiding environmental factors, notably the consumption of tobacco and excess alcohol [6, 7]. The lack of public awareness of the signs, symptoms and risk factors associated with oral cancer has been reported [8]. Unfortunately, most oral cancers lack early signs [9], and despite improvements in diagnostic and therapeutic modalities, the prognosis of patients with oral malignancies has remained poor. In essence,
Received: September 8, 2008. Correspondence: Fax: +38 (044) 501-39-18 E-mail: KhaliliJ@mail.ru Abbreviations used: COX-2 cyclooxygenase-2; ET-1 endothelin-1; HPV human papilloma viruses; HSV herpes simplex viruses; iNOS inducible nitric oxide synthase; LOH loss of heterogeneity; OC oral cancer; OSCC oral squamous cell carcinomas; ROS reactive oxygen species; RNS reactive nitrogen species; NO nitric oxide; 4-NQO 4-nitroquinoline 1-oxide; SCC squamous cell carcinomas.
this poor outcome is related to the majority of patients presenting at an already advanced stage of disease at the time of diagnosis [10]. Since, biopsy is a diagnostic method with limited sensitivity. Recently, a number of molecular-based diagnostic markers have been used to detect OC. Therefore, the purpose of present review was undertaken in an attempt to the incidence, mortality, risk factors, prevention, and current diagnostic markers of OC.
260 considering that OC mortality rate and incidence data are not published using the same format [16].
Experimental Oncology 30, 259264, 2008 (December) dence to suggest a relationship between ethyl alcohol found in mouth rinses and OC [38]. Candidiasis. Autoimmune polyendocrinopathycandidiasis-ectodermal dystrophy an autosomal recessive disease associated with a limited T lymphocyte defect, and exceptionally common in Finland, seems tofavour the growth of Candida albicans and predispose to chronic mucositis and OC [39]. Diabetes. The molecular basis for the putative association of diabetes mellitus with oral squamous cell carcinomas (OSCC) from epidemiological stu dies, may involve insulin receptor substrate-1 and focal adhesion kinase [40]. Free radicals. Free radicals such as reactive oxygen species (ROS) and reactive nitrogen species (RNS) can function both as initiators and promoters in carcinogenesis, while antioxidants provide protection against the cellular and molecular damage caused by reactive oxygen species and reactive nitrogen species [41]. The increase in ROS and RNS may have been the event that led to the consumption and reduction of salivary antioxidant systems, thus explaining the oxidative damage to the DNA and proteins, and possibly the promotion of OC [42]. Viruses. The role of viruses remains unclear. Evidence is perhaps strongest for infection with high-risk human papilloma viruses (HPV) [4345]. Studies show an increased risk of OC in women with cervical cancer suggesting a common risk factor other than smoking, such as HPV infection: transmission of HPV via oral sex is one possibility. A recent multicentre case control study reported that infection with HPV-16 increased the risk of cancer of the oral cavity and particularly oropha rynx [46, 47]. The role of infection with EpsteinBarr virus and herpes simplex viruses (HSV) remains uncertain [48]. The role of herpes simplex viruses, HSV-1 and HSV-2, as co-factors in association with tobacco, alcohol, or HPV-16 infection has also been examined [49]. Heavy use of tobacco, alcohol and HPV-16 infection was associated with an increased risk of OSCC but, after adjusting for age, tobacco, alcohol use, and number of sexual partners, the risk of cancer was not significantly increased in those with HSV-1 or HSV-2, though seropositivity to HSV-1 and HSV-2, may modify the risk associated with exposure to tobacco, alcohol, orHPV [49]. In a study using a fuzzy logic technique, HPV infection showed an association with OC [50]. Family History. Family history of OC is a risk factor. Head and neck cancer patients show an increased susceptibility to chromosome damage by mutagens [51]. Study used cDNA array and identified genes such as keratin 17 and 19, laminin-5, connexin-26 and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) as being differentially expressed in head and neck SCC tissues, with respect to normal tissue [52].
Experimental Oncology 30, 259264, 2008 (December) awareness of OC [54]. Up to three-quarters of OC could be prevented by avoiding environmental factor, notably the consumption of tobacco and excess alcohol [55]. Secondary prevention. Intervention and excision of leukoplakis and erythroplakias combined with elimination of risk factors associated with their development, reduces the incidence of OC [56]. Opportunistic screening for OC can be carried out during patients regular visits. Patient with positive finding should be referred to a specialist for a definitive diagnosis, biopsy and further management.
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mucosa [73]. Likewise, p53 has been detected in cells of malignant tumours obtained by exfoliative cytology [74]. In addition, p53 mutations are present in only about 50% of squamous cell carcinomas of the oral cavity, and only seen at advanced stages of carcinogenesis [75]. Therefore, early diagnosis of OCs on the basis of p53 detection in oral mucosa smears is not a useful option, since exfoliative cytology does not obtain basal epithelial cells [76]. Adramatic switch from histopathological to molecular methods of disease diagnosis [77], and exfoliative cytology has gained importance as a rapid and simple method for obtaining DNA samples. Loss of heterogeneity (LOH) and other molecular changes indicative of oral carcinogenesis can be readily identified in exfoliated cells [78]. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) techniques to amplify DNA from exfoliation samples from oral carcinomas, for analysis of restriction-fragment length polymorphisms (RFLPs) have been used [79]. They found that 66% of the tumours studied showed LOH at one position in the p53 sequence, while 55% showed LOH at some other location. Leukoplakia is a marker of an increased risk of OC, but there are no reliable clinical or histological features that can be used to predict whether the lesion will regress spontaneously or progress to cancer. Microsatellite analyses have been used to identify novel molecular targets (e.g., p16, p53, and cyclin D1) for chemopreventive drugs that could be useful in the treatment of oral leukoplakia [80]. NO could stimulate tumor growth and metastasis by promoting the migratory, invasive and angiogenic abilities of tumor cells, which may also be triggered by the activation of cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) [81]. Recently, much attention has been paid to the role of COX-2 in carcinogenesis. Its also extensively expressed in OC and oral premalignant lesions and seems to be enhanced specifically in highrisk oral lesions [82]. A significantly higher expression level of iNOS was found in the human OSCC [83]. As a result, iNOS generating NO, and might be able to play an important role in OC progression. It is well known that saliva is a wonderful marker of early disease detection that leads to more effective treatment, risk assessment for future oral and systemic disease and a simple, non-invasive alternative to blood and urine tests. The study of salivary endothelin-1 (ET-1) levels in patients diagnosed with OSCC prior to treatment showed significantly raised salivary ET-1 levels in the OC, relative to controls, suggesting a potential utility of salivary analysis for ET-1 levels for monitoring patients at risk for OC [84]. In addition, detection of antioxidant enzymes may be a useful future marker in the molecular diagnosis of the OC [85].
CONCLUSIONS
OC constitutes the most life threatening of all dental condition. Unfortunately, most malignant oral tumors are not detected until they are in advanced stages. Inessence, this poor outcome is related to the majority of patients presenting at an already advanced stage of disease at the time of diagnosis. Even though the biopsy study is fundamental, it is a diagnostic method
262 with limited sensitivity where one of the most important features is the subjectivity of the pathologist. In the last few years the interest in new diagnostic and prognostic methodology and also for monitoring patients in oral precancer and cancer has re-emerged. Furthermore, a number of molecular-based diagnostic markers have been used to detect the presence of OC with varying degrees of sensitivity and specificity. But, still lack of specific tumoral markers present in all malignant lesions of the oral cavity.
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