Role of Genetic and Epigenetic Factors in Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma - A Structured Review

The genetic and epigenetic events appear to control the initiation and progression of cancer. The tenuous link between the environmental, lifestyle factors and genetic influences is being actively researched across the world. Epigenetic changes can control gene expression independent of mutations. The current advances in the cancer therapy are targeting on epigenetic mechanisms such as tumor- specificity of genes, DNA methylation, histone modifications, and the role of mi RNAs. The identification of cancer stem cells is a recent promising area in oncological research for a better understanding of tumor genesis. The lack of markers for the identification of cancer stem cells and their therapeutic targets currently has hindered the immediate applications in the clinical and management domain. The recent patents and their application are discussed.