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Background

OSCC (oral squamous cell carcinoma) is one of the most common malignant tumors of the head and neck, accounting for more than 90% of oral cancers. In our country, the incidence of OSCC is high, and it belongs to one of the high prevalence countries.

The 5-year survival rate of OSCC patients is about 50% or so, but the treatment is not effective, the prognosis is poor, and it is prone to recurrence and metastasis. The incidence and mortality rates are 6.6/100,000 and 3.1/100,000 in men, and 2.9/100,000 and 14/100,000 in women, respectively. In some regions such as the United States, the the incidence of OSCC has been on an upward trend in the last decade, and survival rates after treatment have failed to improve significantly.

Researches and cases

A review of oral and lip cancer incidence, mortality, and risk factors globally in the 2020 study emphasized the importance of knowledge of these factors in developing prevention programs. (Capote-Moreno et. al., 2020) In the same year's study, by retrospectively analyzing 39 patients with invasive OSCC, a trend toward older age at diagnosis and a decrease in the difference in gender distribution over time was noted.

With specific reference to individual cases, (Negrello et. al., 2020) reported in 2020 a rare case of primary intraosseous squamous cell carcinoma (PIOSCC) in the mandibular anterior teeth of a 34 year old male, highlighting the aggressive nature of OSCC. (Daniel et. al., 2020) A study in the same year looked at the expression of human tumour virus 16 (HPV-16) in patients with OSCC, and no positive samples of the HPV-16 genome were detected by conventional PCR, which may provide a new perspective on the understanding of the relationship between viruses and OSCC. this document.

Risk factors

Research on risk factors for OSCC has provided many insights from different scientists. In terms of medications, (Stern et al., 1979) showed that oral methoxsalen photochemotherapy for psoriasis may increase the risk of skin cancer, including squamous cell carcinoma. In terms of lifestyle habits, (Jovanovic et al., 1993) found that smoking and alcohol consumption were associated with anatomical sites of squamous cell carcinoma of the lips and mouth, suggesting that these lifestyle factors are associated with the development of squamous cell carcinoma. Meanwhile, in terms of diseases and infections, some studies such as (Uhlenhopp et. al., 2020) and (Yano et. al., 2021) explored the epidemiology of oesophageal cancers and their microbiome in their studies in 2020 and 2021, and (Ishihara, 2024) placed special emphasis on patients with squamous cell carcinoma of the oesophagus in their study in 2024 have a higher risk of developing cancers of the oral cavity, pharynx, larynx and lung than the general population, further highlighting the importance of research into the interrelationships between these cancers.

Treatment

Although surgery is the mainstay of treatment for oral squamous cell carcinoma, patients with locally advanced disease often require a combination of therapies, including preoperative neoadjuvant chemotherapy or radiotherapy, with the aim of reducing tumor load, increasing the likelihood of surgical resection and improving prognosis.

In traditional treatment regimens, neoadjuvant chemotherapy usually uses chemotherapeutic agents such as cisplatin and 5-fluorouracil, and although it can benefit some patients, a number of patients are still insensitive to the treatment or relapse after treatment.

In recent years, immunotherapy, as an emerging therapeutic modality, has shown significant clinical benefits in a wide range of cancer types. Therefore, to compensate for some of the shortcomings of the existing treatments, our team chose to achieve barrier clearance and immune enhancement by targeting the OSCC tumor microenvironment through specific components or structures in TME that induce tumor immunosuppression.