Characterization of epithelial oral dysplasia in non-smokers: First steps towards precision medicine

Tobacco usage is the strongest risk factor for the development of oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) [1 –4], which mandates careful screening for oral cancers in smokers. However, OSCC does develop in non-smokers (NS), and there are indications that oral potentially malignant lesions (OPML) in NS possess a higher cancer risk than those in smokers [5–8]. Without tobacco as an etiology, the developm ent of these lesions in NS may suggest genetic susceptibility. Tobacco cessation efforts have resulted in a drop in oral cancer rates associated with this habit [9], leading to a growing interest in the increased proportion of cases occurring among NS [10].
Source: Oral Oncology - Category: Cancer & Oncology Authors: Source Type: research