Nucleostemin and p-STAT3 as early diagnostic potential markers in oral squamous cell carcinoma

Oral cancer is considered the sixth most common type of cancer worldwide, out of which India contributes to about one-third of the total cases [1]. Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is the most dominant of all oral cancer cases and may develop from a potentially malignant disorder with a detectable pre-clinical phase. The primary causes of OSCC include tobacco consumption that involves smokeless tobacco, chewing of betel-quid and excessive consumption of alcohol, unhygienic oral practices, periodontal diseases, and sustained viral infections caused by human papillomavirus (HPV) [2]. Instead of these traditional risk factors (alcohol consumption and cigarette smoking), oncogenic HPV is found to be the main causative factor for the increasing incidence of OSCC. Furthermore, HPV etiology is linked to increased survival following conventional treatments. [More]