Role of Candida albicans in Oral Carcinogenesis

Abstract

Oral carcinogenesis is also dependent on the balance of the oral microbiota. Candida albicans is a member oral microbiota that acts as an opportunistic pathogen along with changes in the epithelium that can predispose to premalignancy and/or malignancy. This systematic review uses the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses guidelines to analyze the role of Candida albicans in the process of oral carcinogenesis. Eleven articles qualified inclusion criteria, matched keywords, and provided adequate information about the carcinogenesis parameters of Candida albicans in oral cancer. Candida albicans in oral carcinogenesis can be seen as significant virulent factors for patients with oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) or potentially malignant disorder (OPMD) with normal adjacent mucosa. Candida albicans have a role in the process of oral carcinogenesis concerning morphological phenotype changes in cell structure and genotype and contribute to the formation of carcinogenic substances that can affect cell development towards malignancy.