International Journal of Molecular Sciences

Journal Browser

► Journal Browser

Oral Cancer: From Molecular Mechanisms to Therapeutics

Share This Special Issue

Special Issue Editor

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Oral cancer remains a major global health challenge, representing a significant cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. Despite advances in diagnosis and treatment, the overall survival rate for patients with oral cancer has not improved significantly in recent decades. A deeper understanding of the genetic, epigenetic, and molecular alterations involved in oral cancer is thus essential for identifying novel biomarkers for early detection, prognosis, and treatment response. In addition, innovative therapeutic strategies—including immunotherapy, targeted molecular treatments, and nanomedicine—offer new hope for improved outcomes.

This Special Issue aims to provide a comprehensive overview of the most recent discoveries in the molecular mechanisms underlying oral carcinogenesis, progression, and metastasis, as well as emerging therapeutic approaches. We welcome original research articles, reviews, and perspectives covering basic, translational, and clinical studies. Contributions that explore novel molecular pathways, tumor microenvironment interactions, resistance mechanisms, or clinical trials are particularly encouraged. With this Special Issue, we aim to foster interdisciplinary dialogue and stimulate further research that could ultimately improve patient care in oral oncology.

Dr. Diana Russo
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. International Journal of Molecular Sciences is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. There is an Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal. For details about the APC please see here. Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Benefits of Publishing in a Special Issue

Ease of navigation: Grouping papers by topic helps scholars navigate broad scope journals more efficiently.

Greater discoverability: Special Issues support the reach and impact of scientific research. Articles in Special Issues are more discoverable and cited more frequently.

Expansion of research network: Special Issues facilitate connections among authors, fostering scientific collaborations.

External promotion: Articles in Special Issues are often promoted through the journal's social media, increasing their visibility.

Reprint: MDPI Books provides the opportunity to republish successful Special Issues in book format, both online and in print.

Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies can be found here.

Published Papers (2 papers)

Download All Papers

Order results

Result details

Show export options Show export options

Select all

Export citation of selected articles as:

Research

Jump to: Review

31 pages, 4246 KB

Open AccessArticle

TCGA-Informed Spatial Profiling Reveals Peripheral CD147 Expression at the Invasive Tumor Front as a Prognostic Indicator in OSCC

by Felix Nieberle, Steffen Spoerl, Quirin Strotzer, Robin Hartmann, Ramona Erber, Silvia Spoerl, Johannes G. Schuderer, Katja Himmelstoß, Johannes Meier, Tobias Ettl, Torsten E. Reichert and Juergen Taxis

Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2026, 27(5), 2172; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms27052172 - 25 Feb 2026

Viewed by 567

Abstract

Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) remains a major cause of cancer-related mortality worldwide, with limited biomarker-driven tools for risk stratification. CD147 is a membrane glycoprotein implicated in tumor metabolism, invasion, immune evasion, and therapy resistance. This study aimed to evaluate the prognostic and predictive relevance of CD147 expression in distinct tumor compartments of OSCC. Formalin-fixed tumor samples from 229 OSCC patients were analyzed via tissue microarray and immunohistochemistry to assess CD147 expression in the tumor center, periphery, and adjacent mucosa. Associations with clinicopathological parameters, survival, and therapy response were evaluated using non-parametric statistical tests, Kaplan–Meier, multivariate Cox, and binary logistic regression analyses. Complementary transcriptomic and immunological analyses were performed using The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA), the University of Alabama at Birmingham Cancer data analysis (UALCAN), Tumor and Immune System Interaction Database (TISIDB), and the Genotype-Tissue Expression (GTEx) project’s datasets. Low CD147 expression in the tumor invasive front was independently associated with improved overall survival, while expression in the tumor center or mucosa showed no prognostic value. No significant associations between CD147 and adjuvant therapy response were identified. TCGA-based analyses confirmed CD147 overexpression in tumors and its correlation with immunosuppressive signaling and resistance-associated transcriptional networks. Peripheral CD147 expression serves as a compartment-specific, independent prognostic marker in OSCC in this retrospective single-center cohort. Its spatially restricted prognostic relevance and association with immune modulation and therapy resistance highlight CD147 as a promising candidate for future biomarker-driven and therapeutic strategies. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Oral Cancer: From Molecular Mechanisms to Therapeutics)

► Show Figures

Figure 1

Review

Jump to: Research

28 pages, 790 KB

Open AccessReview

Molecular Mechanisms in Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma: Integrative Roles of Cancer-Associated Fibroblasts, Immune Microenvironment, and Precision Therapeutic Opportunities

by Chung-Che Tsai, Po-Chih Hsu and Chan-Yen Kuo

Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2026, 27(7), 2956; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms27072956 - 24 Mar 2026

Viewed by 770

Abstract

Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) remains a major global health burden due to aggressive invasion, early metastasis, therapeutic resistance, and poor long-term survival. Beyond tumor-intrinsic genetic and epigenetic alterations, accumulating evidence highlights the critical role of the tumor microenvironment in shaping OSCC progression and clinical outcomes. Cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) and immune cells orchestrate tumor initiation, immune evasion, and recurrence through extracellular matrix remodeling, cytokine signaling, angiogenesis, and metabolic and redox regulation. Key oncogenic pathways, including EGFR/PI3K/AKT/mTOR, TGF-β, Wnt, and Notch, integrate with non-coding RNA networks to reinforce stemness, epithelial–mesenchymal transition, and therapy resistance. Moreover, PD-1/PD-L1-mediated immune escape, CAF-driven biomechanical remodeling, and metabolic reprogramming such as aerobic glycolysis and lipid metabolism contribute to OSCC heterogeneity. This review synthesizes current insights into OSCC across genomic, epigenetic, metabolic, and microenvironmental dimensions, emphasizing CAF biology, immune landscape reprogramming, and non-coding RNA regulation. We further discuss emerging biomarkers, liquid biopsy approaches, and targeted therapeutic strategies, providing a system-level framework for biomarker-guided stratification and precision combination therapies in OSCC. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Oral Cancer: From Molecular Mechanisms to Therapeutics)

► Show Figures

Journal Menu

Journal Browser

Oral Cancer: From Molecular Mechanisms to Therapeutics

Share This Special Issue

Special Issue Editor

Special Issue Information

Keywords

Benefits of Publishing in a Special Issue

Published Papers (2 papers)

Research

Review

Further Information

Guidelines

MDPI Initiatives

Follow MDPI