Microbial dysbiosis in oral squamous cell carcinoma - A systematic review and meta-analysis

Sep 24, 2026

Objective: This study summarizes previously published data and evaluates changes in the oral microbiome composition in OSCC via a systematic review and meta-analysis. Electronic databases were searched for studies published before December 2021. Qualitative compositional variation was assessed at the phylum level, and genus-level abundance changes were pooled using a random-effects model. Results: 18 studies with 1056 participants were included, showing Fusobacteria enrichment and depletion of Actinobacteria and Firmicutes; Fusobacterium increased and Streptococcus decreased in OSCC.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryHealthcare

FormatPDF

Pages11

Reading Time28 min

AccessFree to download

Introduction

Objective and Methods

Results

Conclusions

Heliyon 9 (2023) e13198 Contents lists available at ScienceDirect Heliyon journal [homepage:](homepage: www.cell.com/heliyon)[ www.cell.com/heliyon](homepage: www.cell.com/heliyon) | Review article
Microbial dysbiosis in oral squamous cell carcinoma: A systematic review and meta-analysis | | | | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | Xiaoyun Yu a, b, Yongmei Shic, Rongtao Yuan b, Zhenggang Chen b, Quanjiang Dong d, Linzi Hana, b, Lili Wang d, **, Jianhua Zhou b, *
a Graduate School of Dalian Medical University, Dalian, 116044, China
b Department of Stomatology, Qingdao Municipal Hospital, Qingdao University, Qingdao, 266071, China c Department of Outpatient, Qingdao Municipal Hospital, Qingdao University, Qingdao, 266071, China
d Central Laboratories and Department of Gastroenterology, Qingdao Municipal Hospital, Qingdao University, Qingdao, 266071, China | | | | | A R T I C L E I N F O | | A B S T R A C T | | | Keywords:
Oral squamous cell carcinoma Microbiome
Fusobacterium Streptococcus Systematic review Meta-analysis | | Objective: The aim of this study was to summarize previously published data and assess the alterations in the composition of the oral microbiome in OSCC using a systematic review and metaanalysis.
Design: Electronic databases were systematically searched for studies on the oral microbiome in OSCC published before December 2021. Qualitative assessments of compositional variations atthe phylum level were performed. The meta-analysis on abundance changes of bacteria genera was performed via a random-effects model.
Results: A total of 18 studies involving 1056 participants were included. They consisted of two categories of studies: 1) case-control studies (n = 9); 2) nine studies that compared the oral microbiome between cancerous tissues and paired paracancerous tissues. At the phylum level, enrichment of Fusobacteria but depletion in Actinobacteria and Firmicutes in the oral microbiome was demonstrated in both categories of studies. At the genus level, Fusobacterium showed an increased abundance in OSCC patients (SMD = 0.65, 95% CI: 0.43–0.87, Z = 5.809, P = 0.000) and in cancerous tissues (SMD = 0.54, 95% CI: 0.36–0.72, Z = 5.785, P = 0.000). The abundance of Streptococcus was decreased in OSCC (SMD = − 0.46, 95% CI: − 0.88 − 0.04, Z = − 2.146, P = 0.032) and in cancerous tissues (SMD = − 0.45, 95% CI: − 0.78–0. 13, Z = − 2.726, P = 0.006). Conclusions: Disturbances in the interactions between enriched Fusobacterium and depleted Streptococcus may participate in or prompt the occurrence and development of OSCC and could be potential biomarkers for detection of OSCC. | | 1. Introduction Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is the most common type of malignant tumour found in the oral cavity. More than 481,000 new patients are diagnosed annually worldwide [1]. Despite advancements in surgical techniques, adjuvant radiotherapy, and chemotherapy, the overall 5-year survival rate of OSCC patients is approximately 50%–60%[1–3]. Cigarette smoking, alcohol * Corresponding author. ** Corresponding author. [E-mail addresses:](E-mail addresses: wanglili1259@126.com)[ wanglili1259@126.com](E-mail addresses: wanglili1259@126.com) (L. Wang), [zhoujhqd@126.com](zhoujhqd@126.com) (J. Zhou). [https://doi.org/10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e13198](https://doi.org/10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e13198) Received 4 July 2022; Received in revised form 15 January 2023; Accepted 19 January 2023 Available online 24 January 2023 2405-8440/© 2023 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd. This is an open access article under the CC BY license ([http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/](http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)). drinking, betel chewing, and gene mutation are major risk factors for OSCC [4–6]. However, the occurrence of OSCC in some patients cannot be explained by these risk factors, suggesting the existence of other risk factors [7,8]. The oral cavity, which contains more than one tho

FAQs

What was the objective of this systematic review and meta-analysis?

To summarize previously published data and assess alterations in the oral microbiome composition in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) using a systematic review and meta-analysis.

How were studies searched and how were microbiome changes analyzed?

Electronic databases were searched for oral microbiome studies in OSCC published before December 2021; phylum-level compositional differences were assessed qualitatively and genus-level abundance changes were meta-analyzed using a random-effects model.

Which microbial taxa were most consistently associated with OSCC?

At the phylum level, Fusobacteria were enriched while Actinobacteria and Firmicutes were depleted. At the genus level, Fusobacterium increased in OSCC, while Streptococcus decreased in OSCC patients and cancerous tissues.

Sep 24, 2026

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