The promising impact of molecular profiling on treatment strategies in oral cancers

Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is a major cause of cancer-associated morbidity and mortality. Although OSCC may develop from easily accessible oral preneoplastic lesions (OPLs), no intervention has been reported so far that reduces the rate of malignant transformation. A comprehensive molecular characterization of oral carcinogenesis may help refining treatment strategies both in patients with OPLs and OSCC. Herein, we review main molecular alterations occurring at different steps during oral carcinogenesis and show how molecularly-based medicine and surgery may impact the outcome of OSCC in the future.