Study illuminates molecular, genomic characteristics of oral cancers

Researchers may have uncovered oral cancer subtypes. Despite the known oral and oropharyngeal cancer risks associated with tobacco and alcohol consumption and HPV infection, the incidence of oral cancer among those without these risk factors has recently risen.

In a study published in the International Journal of Oral Science, the researchers used head and neck cancer multi-omics data to analyze the mutational signatures of oral cavity squamous cell carcinomas with no identified risk factor.

The researchers identified nearly distinct mutational signatures that classified nearly 350 oral cavity squamous cell carcinomas and laryngeal cancers. Among oral cavity squamous cell carcinomas, the single-base substitution signature 16 was associated with tobacco use.

They also discovered two oral cavity squamous cell carcinomas with no identified risk factor, both of which exhibited unique cancer driver mutations, methylation patterns, immune evasion strategies and antimicrobial transcriptomic responses from other oral cavity squamous cell carcinoma subtypes with known risk factors. The first of these was a tongue-enriched subtype displaying endogenous clock-like mutagenesis. The researchers observed elevated apolipoprotein B mRNA-editing enzyme catalytic polypeptide-like-associated mutagenesis in the second subtype.

The findings supported the further evaluation of a potential new clinical entity among oral cavity squamous cell carcinomas, represented by distinct clinicopathologic features. Further studies will be needed to determine the most effective prevention and treatment routes in these subtypes.

Read more: International Journal of Oral Science

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