FEATURES OF BIOCHEMICAL MECHANISMS OF PATHOGENESIS OF SQUAMOUS CELL CARCINOMA OF THE ORAL CAVITY
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.31149/ijnps.v4i4.2861Keywords:
Soral Squamous Cell Carcinoma, Oxidative Stress, Reactive Oxygen Species, Chronic Inflammation, Cytokines, Antioxidant Enzymes, TP53 Mutation, EGFR, PI3K/AKT Pathway, Biomarkers, CarcinogenesisAbstract
Squamous cell carcinoma of the oral cavity (OSCC) is a highly aggressive malignancy characterized by late diagnosis and poor prognosis. Its pathogenesis involves complex interactions among oxidative stress, chronic inflammation, metabolic reprogramming, microbiome imbalance, and genetic alterations. Despite advances in molecular oncology, early diagnostic accuracy remains limited due to insufficient integration of biochemical biomarkers into clinical practice, highlighting a critical knowledge gap. This study analyzes contemporary evidence on biochemical and molecular mechanisms underlying OSCC, focusing on key biomarkers such as reactive oxygen species (ROS), 8-OHdG, antioxidant enzymes (SOD, GPx), proinflammatory cytokines (IL-6, TNF-α), and genetic regulators (TP53, Ki-67, EGFR, VEGF, MMP-9). A comprehensive analytical approach was used to synthesize findings on oxidative imbalance, inflammatory signaling pathways, and tumor-related metabolic changes. The findings demonstrate that decreased antioxidant activity and increased ROS levels promote cellular damage and genomic instability, while cytokine-mediated signaling pathways enhance proliferation, inhibit apoptosis, and sustain a pro-oncogenic microenvironment. Genetic mutations and activation of pathways such as PI3K/AKT further support tumor survival and progression. These results confirm that OSCC development represents a unified pathobiochemical cascade linking inflammation, oxidative stress, and genetic dysregulation. The study implies that integrating biochemical markers into diagnostic models can significantly improve early detection, prognostic evaluation, and personalized therapeutic strategies in oral cancer management.
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