The Role of MicroRNAs in Lip and Oral Cavity Cancer: Molecular Mechanisms, Diagnostic Biomarkers, and Therapeutic Potential

Introduction This study has discussed the prevalence and microRNAs' function in lip and oral, genetic mechanisms, the medical significance of LOCC, and the role of small ncRNAs, particularly miRNAs, in cancer progression and treatment. It should be pointed out that more than ۹۰% of all oral cancers worldwide are SCC. The role of miRNAs in gene expression, their potential to be non-invasive biomarkers for diagnostics, and their growing role in LOCC treatment methods are applied. Methods Epidemiological data were collected regarding patients with LOCC by targeting major risk factors of tobacco consumption, alcohol consumption, infection by human papillomavirus, and environmental pollutants. Tumor tissues and their surrounding normal tissues from LOCC patients were collected and subjected to RNA extraction for high-throughput sequencing and microarray analysis. Afterward, all miRNA levels were confirmed by qRT-PCR. Besides, explorations were made on the roles of ncRNAs in key tumorigenic signal transduction pathways like the PI۳K/AKT/mTOR pathway, which is very important in proliferation and viability in cancerous cells. Results These results verified that squamous cell carcinoma is the most prevalent LOCC type. Mostly, oncogenic tumor tissues have overexpressed miRNAs like miR-۲۱ and miR-۳۱, while some of the tumor suppressant miRNAs are getting upregulated, which includes miR-۳۷۵ and miR-۲۰۰c. These diagnostic assays used non-invasive materials like serum and saliva and included a panel of miRNAs that showed perfect specificity and sensitivity above ۸۷% in separating OSCC from normal samples. Besides, dysregulation of miRNAs is highly related to the activation of the PI۳K/AKT/mTOR pathway, significantly influencing tumor growth and survival. Discussion The significance of ncRNAs, particularly miRNAs, for LOCC, is greatly highlighted because they are oncogenes and tumor suppressors. They have an imperative role in this cancer process by taking control. Dysregulated miRNAs were found to influence both tumor development and the microenvironment for the survival of tumor cells. This work further underlines the potential therapeutic targets of ncRNAs, since miRNA-based therapies could be classical therapies. Conclusion In particular, miRNAs, a class of small ncRNAs, hold great promise for diagnosis and treatment in the case of lip and oral cavity cancer. They could be employed as non-invasive biomarkers to enhance manifold early detection, which is important for improving patient survival rates. Besides, dysregulation of miRNAs presents a new therapeutic strategy in LOCC. Future studies are needed to decipher the problems in the delivery of ncRNA, and extra validation studies in larger clinical trials are necessary to maximize the potential of personalized medicine.

کلیدواژه ها:

LOCC ، miRNAs ، ncRNAs ، SCC ، Non-Invasive Diagnostics