Exosomes’ Role in the Early Diagnosis, Progression, and Therapy of Oral and Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma

Abstract

Oral cancer includes about 2% of all malignancies, whereas the most prevalent kind is Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma (OSCC), which constitutes for 90% of oral cancers with a poor prognosis and a superior local relapse. Since OSCC often spreads to lymph nodes in its advanced stages, the investigation of new treatment methods should be prioritized. Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma (HNSCC) is one of the predominant malignant tumors influencing human health as a result of late diagnosis and a superior rate of invasion. HNSCC patients have an overall poor survival rate despite recent improvements in treatment techniques. Hence, developing more efficient strategies continues to be a major concern. Small membrane vesicles known as exosomes are found in bodily fluids and are produced by endosomes. They have a range of mRNAs, non-coding RNAs, proteins, circular RNAs, ribosomal RNAs, tsRNAs, and piRNAs. Regulating the tumor microenvironment by exosomes provides the conditions for cancer expansion, and the transfer of their constituents to target cells is associated with the colonization, metastasis, and proliferation of OSCC and HNSCC. In the current study, we examine the part exosomes play in the emergence and identification of OSCC and HNSCC, besides their possible use in the therapy of these cancers.