Dysregulation and detection methods of EGFR in oral cancer. A narrative review

Network pharmacology: an efficient but underutilized approach in oral, head and neck cancer therapy-a review

The application of network pharmacology (NP) has advanced our understanding of the complex molecular mechanisms underlying diseases, including neck, head, and oral cancers, as well as thyroid carcinoma. This review aimed to explore the therapeutic potential of natural network pharmacology using compounds and traditional Chinese medicines for combating these malignancies. NP serves as a pivotal tool that provides a comprehensive view of the interactions among compounds, genes, and diseases, thereby contributing to the advancement of disease treatment and management. In parallel, this review discusses the significance of publicly accessible databases in the identification of oral, head, and neck cancer-specific genes. These databases, including those for head and neck oral cancer, head and neck cancer, oral cancer, and genomic variants of oral cancer, offer valuable insights into the genes, miRNAs, drugs, and genetic variations associated with these cancers. They serve as indispensable resources for researchers, clinicians, and drug developers, contributing to the pursuit of precision medicine and improved treatment of these challenging malignancies. In summary, advancements in NP could improve the globalization and modernization of traditional medicines and prognostic targets as well as aid in the development of innovative drugs. Furthermore, this review will be an eye-opener for researchers working on drug development from traditional medicines by applying NP approaches.

Identification of EGFR as a Biomarker in Saliva and Buccal Cells from Oral Submucous Fibrosis Patients—A Baseline Study

Oral Submucous Fibrosis (OSMF) is a chronic debilitating disease more frequently encountered in the South-East Asian population. This disease represents a public health priority as it is grouped within oral potentially malignant disorders, with malignant transformation rates of around 7–19%. Hence, early identification of high-risk OSMF patients is of the utmost importance to prevent malignant transformation. Among various biomarkers, EGFR overexpression has an unfavorable clinical outcome, poor prognosis, and low survival rates in Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma (OSCC). The current study aimed to evaluate the expression of EGFR in saliva and exfoliated buccal cells of OSMF. Immunoexpression of EGFR was observed in healthy controls (n = 11), OSCC (n = 106), and OPMD with dysplasia (n = 56), which showed significant expression with increasing grades of dysplasia and OSCC. EGFR expression was evaluated in saliva and exfoliated buccal cells of healthy controls (n = 15), OSMF (n = 24), and OSCC (n = 10) patients using ELISA, which revealed significant expression in OSMF and OSCC. Validation studies were also performed using real-time PCR (RT-PCR) to compare gene expression in healthy controls (n = 9), OSMF (n = 9), and OSCC (n = 25), which showed significant 18-fold upregulation in OSCC and three-fold upregulation in OSMF when compared to healthy controls. Hence, saliva and exfoliated buccal cells could be considered as potential non-invasive diagnostic samples for the evaluation of high-risk patients of OSMF using EGFR as a biomarker.

Cell signaling and cancer: a mechanistic insight into drug resistance

Drug resistance is a major setback for advanced therapeutics in multiple cancers. The increasing prevalence of this resistance is a growing concern and bitter headache for the researchers since a decade. Hence, it is essential to revalidate the existing strategies available for cancer treatment and to look after a novel therapeutic approach for target based killing of cancer cells at the genetic level. This review outlines the different mechanisms enabling resistance including drug efflux, drug target alternation, alternative splicing, the release of the extracellular vesicle, tumor heterogeneity, epithelial-mesenchymal transition, tumor microenvironment, the secondary mutation in the receptor, epigenetic alternation, heterodimerization of receptors, amplification of target and amplification of components rather than the target. Furthermore, existing evidence and the role of various signaling pathways like EGFR, Ras, PI3K/Akt, Wnt, Notch, TGF-β, Integrin-ECM signaling in drug resistance are explained. Lastly, the prevention of this resistance by a contemporary therapeutic strategy, i.e., a combination of specific signaling pathway inhibitors and the cocktail of a cancer drug is summarized showing the new treatment strategies.