Candida in oral pre-cancer and oral cancer

Oral pre-malignancies and carcinomas are common epithelial pathologies caused by a variety of etiological factors. In the oral cavity, candidiasis is the most frequent opportunistic fungal infection. Since the initial reports of an association between candidiasis with oral pre-cancer and cancer, various theories have been debated regarding the role of candida in development and transformation of oral pre-malignancies. However, the exact role is still unclear. In the present article, we hypothesize a causal role for candidiasis in oral pre-cancer and cancer albeit an indirect one. We also suggest that candida along with other co-factors may play a role in initiation and promotion of carcinogenesis.