Role of epigenetics in OSCC: an understanding above genetics.

Oral cavity cancer is categorized under head and neck cancer that frequently develops from squamous cells hence also known as oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC). Although molecular markers for oral cavity cancer are already known, epigenetic signatures for the same haven't been explored much. Epigenetic and genetic alterations were initially thought to be discrete mechanisms driving the tumour but the whole exome sequencing of various cancers has revealed the interdependency of epigenetics and genetic alterations. The reversible nature of these epigenetic changes makes them an alluring target for cancer therapeutics. The primary epigenetic alterations in cancer include DNA methylation and histone modifications. These alterations are useful for patient early detection and prognostication. This review summarizes the epigenetic perspective to understand the etiology, epigenetic biomarkers, and epi-drugs for better predictive diagnosis and treatment of OSCC.