Molecular Mechanisms and Therapies of Oral Cancer

Dear Colleagues,

Oral cancer is the most prevalent head and neck cancer, posing a significant challenge to public health. Despite advances in treatment, oral cancer remains challenging to manage, especially since it is often diagnosed at a late stage, leading to poor treatment outcomes and high mortality rates. The unique location of the oral cavity makes the occurrence of oral cancer closely associated with frequent exposure to environmental risk factors. Despite the well-known factors, recent research focuses on elucidating the intricate interactions between the host and the oral microbiome, promoting tumor development from various perspectives. Exosomes have gained considerable attention as communicators between tumor cells and local tissues or distant organs. Moreover, cargo composition analysis of saliva-derived exosomes obtained non-invasively has shown promise in identifying potential biomarkers for the early detection and prognosis of oral cancer. Advancements in imaging techniques with probes targeting tumor metabolic features have improved the accuracy of surgical intervention. Preclinical models have shed light on the dynamic molecular phenotypic underlying oral cancer development, providing opportunities for chemoprevention strategies. Optimization of mucosa drug delivery techniques has enhanced the efficacy of chemotherapy while minimizing side effects. In addition, many research efforts focus on lifestyle interventions to improve the prognosis of patients. However, the development of oral cancer encompasses a myriad of complex molecules and pathways, with many unresolved problems in treatment failures.

This Special Issue provides a platform to showcase your findings and contribute to advancing our understanding and management of oral cancer. Potential topics of interest include but are not limited to identifying molecules and pathways involved in oral cancer progression for developing novel therapeutic targets; precise and personalized treatment strategies; biomarkers for early detection, diagnosis, and prognosis; preclinical and clinical studies evaluating the efficacy of therapeutic interventions; advancing in imaging techniques for oral cancer detection and monitoring. We encourage you to contribute original research articles or reviews to this Special Issue. Your work will undergo assessment and be included in the peer review process.

Prof. Dr. Cheng-Chia Yu
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

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• oral cancer
• oral squamous cell carcinoma
• cancer stem cells
• extracellular vesicle
• exosomes
• microbiome
• tumor microenvironment
• metabolism
• biomarkers
• diagnostics and therapeutics
• drug delivery
• nanoparticles
• surgery
• immunotherapy
• chemotherapy
• radiotherapy
• image technique