Oral Microbiome as a Biomarker and Therapeutic Target in Head and Neck Cancer: Current Insights and Future Directions

Sep 23, 2026

Uploaded by Mimi

Emerging evidence indicates the oral microbiome may shape head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) development. This review synthesizes research comparing oral microbial communities in HNSCC patients versus healthy controls, focusing on specific taxa. A systematic approach following PRISMA assessed 284 articles and identified 21 studies with 1023 patients and 837 controls. Results show consistent beta-diversity differences and higher Firmicutes and Synergistetes in patients, alongside taxa such as Fusobacterium and Prevotella, while controls show higher Proteobacteria and Actinobacteria. Standardized sampling and analysis are essential.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryHealthcare

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Pages20

Reading Time50 min

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1. Introduction

Review Oral Microbiome as a Biomarker and Therapeutic Target in Head and Neck Cancer: Current Insights and Future Directions Saad Ahmad 1,2,3, Dasantha Jayamanne 1,2, Sarah Bergamin 1,2, Anna Lawless 1,2, Alexander Guminski 1,2, Adrian Lee 1,2, Alexander Yuile 1,2,4, Helen Wheeler 1,2,4, Thomas Eade 1,2, Michael Back 1,2, Mark Molloy 1,3 and Byeongsang Oh 1,2,3, * Academic Editor: Judith E. Raber-Durlacher Received: 3 July 2025 Revised: 1 August 2025 Accepted: 13 August 2025 Published: 15 August 2025 Citation: Ahmad, S.; Jayamanne, D.; Bergamin, S.; Lawless, A.; Guminski, A.; Lee, A.; Yuile, A.; Wheeler, H.; Eade, T.; Back, M.; et al. Oral Microbiome as a Biomarker and Therapeutic Target in Head and Neck Cancer: Current Insights and Future Directions. Cancers 2025, 17, 2667 . [https://doi.org/10.3390/](https://doi.org/10.3390/)[ ](https://doi.org/10.3390/)cancers17162667 Copyright: © 2025 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license ([https://creativecommons.org/](https://creativecommons.org/)[ ](https://creativecommons.org/)[licenses/by/4.0/](licenses/by/4.0/)) . 1 Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia; [hafizsaad.ahmad@sydney.edu.au](hafizsaad.ahmad@sydney.edu.au) (S.A.) 2 Northern Sydney Cancer Centre, Royal North Shore Hospital, St Leonards, NSW 2065, Australia 3 Bowel Cancer and Biomarker Laboratory, Kolling Institute, St Leonards, NSW 2065, Australia 4 Bill Walsh Translational Cancer Research Laboratory, Kolling Institute, St Leonards, NSW 2065, Australia * [Correspondence: byeong.oh@sydney.edu.au](Correspondence: byeong.oh@sydney.edu.au) Simple Summary Emerging evidence suggests that the oral microbiome—the community of microorganisms in the mouth—may influence the development of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC), a common type of cancer. This review summarizes current research comparing the oral microbiome of HNSCC patients with that of healthy individuals. Distinct differences in bacterial composition were observed, with certain species being more prevalent in cancer patients. These microbial shifts may be associated with inflammation and other cancer-promoting mechanisms. A better understanding of this microbiome changes could improve early risk identification and inform new strategies for prevention or treatment. Abstract Background/Objectives: The oral microbiome has been implicated in the pathogenesis of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) . This review examines the association between specific oral bacterial taxa and HNSCC. Methods: A systematic review was conducted following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and MetaAnalyses (PRISMA) guidelines to examine the relationship between the oral microbiome and HNSCC. A comprehensive literature search was conducted in databases including EMBASE, Cochrane Library, Web of Science, Medline, and PubMed. Results: Following the screening of 284 articles, 21 studies met the inclusion criteria, comprising 1023 HNSCC patients (male: n = 806, 79%; female: n = 217, 21%) and 837 healthy controls (male: n = 622, 74%; female: n = 215, 25.7%) . Although findings on alpha diversity were inconsistent, a significant difference in beta diversity was consistently reported between HNSCC patients and healthy controls. HNSCC patients exhibited higher relative abundances of Firmicutes and Synergistetes at the phylum level; Fusobacterium, Prevotella, Porphyromonas, Parvimonas, and Peptostreptococcus at the genus level; and Fusobacterium nucleatum, Prevotella intermedia, Lactobacillus spp., and Porphyromonas gingivalis at the species level. In contrast, healthy controls showed higher abundances of Proteobacteria and Actinobacteria at the phylum level; Streptococcus, Actinomyces, Corynebacterium, Rothia, and Veillonella at the genus level

FAQs

What is the purpose of this review on the oral microbiome and HNSCC?

It summarizes current evidence on how the oral microbiome differs between HNSCC patients and healthy individuals and how those microbial changes may relate to cancer-promoting mechanisms.

How was the literature search performed?

The review used a systematic search following PRISMA guidelines and searched databases including EMBASE, Cochrane Library, Web of Science, Medline, and PubMed.

What microbiome differences were most consistently observed between patients and healthy controls?

Beta diversity differed significantly in a consistent manner, and patient samples showed higher relative abundances of certain phyla and genera, including Fusobacterium and Prevotella, while controls showed higher Proteobacteria and Actinobacteria in most studies.

Sep 23, 2026

Uploaded by Mimi