The relationship between Candida albicans infection and oral cancer

Oral cancer is one of the most common cancers that occur in the head and neck and can seriously affect the life span and living standard of oral cancer patients. Candida albicans (C. albicans) is the most common opportunistic pathogenic fungus in the oral cavity, shows pathogenicity and easily causes Candida infection when the host′s immune function is low. Recent studies have shown that C. albicans infection is closely related to oral cancer. This paper reviews the epidemiology of C. albicans infection in oral cancer patients, the influence of C. albicans infection on the occurrence and development of oral cancer and research on its mechanism. Existing studies have shown an increased risk of C. albicans infection in oral cancer patients, while C. albicans infection may promote the occurrence and development of oral cancer through mechanisms such as damaging the oral epithelium; producing carcinogens, including nitrosamine and acetaldehyde; and inducing a chronic inflammatory response and T helper cell 17 immune response. However, these mechanisms are still relatively superficial and lack sufficient direct evidence. In the future, additional in-depth studies are still needed to further clarify the cancer-promoting mechanisms of C. albicans and provide new ideas for the prevention and treatment of oral cancer.