Cytogenetics and oral carcinoma

Oral carcinoma has been associated with the use of tobacco, alcohol, cigarette smoking, and chronic trauma as the main etiological agents. Undoubtedly, these factors play an important role in oral carcinogenesis, but they may not solely account for cancer initiation, development and progression. Cytogenetics provides important insights into the molecular basis of etiopathogenesis of oral squamous cell carcinoma. Carcinogenesis occurs as a result of interactions between host immunity, oncogenic triggers, microbiomes, viruses and regulatory gene responses. The mutagenic factors cause irreversible damage to tissue cells, leading to genetic mutations in pre-invasive cell populations, resulting in their malignant transformations. There is a major paradigm shift in our understanding from traditional beliefs towards contribution of polymorphic genetic transformations in oral cancer development. The present review focuses on the causal effects of gene polymorphisms in the development of oral cancers and evaluate its importance in disease progression and prevention.