A compendium of population wide DNA methylation profile for oral cancer in India

Abstract

With the emergence of epigenetics, constant attempts are been made to decipher the molecular mechanisms in carcinogenesis. Epigenetic modifications, especially the DNA methylation, have been perceived in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC). The target genes differentially methylated in OSCC still largely remains unknown. There are differences in the molecular alterations in OSCC, regarding geographic location. Therefore, the aim of this review is to present status-quo of existing studies on Indian population to better understand the aberrant patterns of DNA methylation in OSCC that could serve as potential prognostic and diagnostic biomarkers to improve therapy and extend overall survival. The literature was searched using MEDLINE/PubMed, Wiley, Google Scholar, and Science Direct to identify and include most of the relevant articles published from the year 2000 till date in English language. The review would prove to be a valuable resource for population specific investigations and detecting novel biomarkers for OSCC.