Oral squamous cell carcinoma is a multistep event that continues to increase in incidence, particularly in the young, and to an extent that cannot be fully explained by increased exposure to known risk factors, as tobacco or alcohol. Recent molecular investigations suggest that there are multiple genetic events, and oncogenic virus that are able to alter the normal functions of oncogenes and tumor suppressor genes. The aim of the present article was to review the current knowledge on the role of Human papillomavirus (HPV), Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), P53 and telomerase in the development and prognosis of the oral squamous cell carcinoma.
oral carcinoma; telomerase; oncogenic virus
