The microbiome-inflammation-immune axis in oral squamous cell carcinoma: from mechanistic insights to therapeutic perspectives

Oral squamous cell carcinoma, the most prevalent malignancy of the head and neck, presents ongoing challenges regarding its molecular mechanisms and clinical management. Current research largely focuses on isolated signaling pathways or specific immune responses, often overlooking the potential contributing role of the microbiota in tumorigenesis. This review proposes the "microbiome-inflammation-immune axis" as an interpretive working hypothesis to elucidate how dysbiosis and microbial interactions may activate host inflammatory responses, trigger pattern recognition receptors and signaling pathways, and remodel the immune microenvironment, thereby potentially facilitating oral cancer progression. Concurrently, this paper emphasizes clinical translation by critically compiling and evaluating relevant clinical analytical indicators-such as peripheral blood inflammatory markers and salivary microbial markers-from the fields of inflammation and microbiology. This provides multidimensional reference points for future disease diagnosis and treatment.