Oral squamous cell carcinoma

Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is a malignant epithelial tumor of the oral cavity characterized by squamous differentiation and the potential for local invasion, cervical lymph-node metastasis, and postoperative recurrence. Its clinical behavior is influenced by tumor-stage and nodal status, as well as by the tumor microenvironment; cancer-associated fibroblasts at the invasion front have been investigated as prognostic indicators. OSCC may arise from oral epithelial dysplasia, and this subgroup has been reported to show substantial postoperative recurrence even when histopathological features appear favorable.

Management commonly involves surgery, with adjuvant radiotherapy considered according to pathological risk features such as T stage and lymph-node involvement. Cisplatin, fluorouracil, and chemoimmunotherapy are among the treatment approaches studied, while anti-PD-L1 therapy reflects interest in the CD274 molecule and immune-mediated treatment. Current research is also evaluating spatial variation in PD-L1 and c-MET between primary tumors and lymph-node metastases, and examining signaling pathways including STAT3/ITGB8 and CDK1-HOXC10-MTFR2 as potential therapeutic targets. Elastic scattering spectroscopy with machine-learning classification, multi-omics, and biomarker-based risk stratification are being investigated to improve detection of nodal metastasis, prediction of recurrence, and selection of individualized treatment.