Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma‐Risk Factors, Diagnosis, Treatment, and Prevention

ABSTRACT Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) usually originates from the precancerous lesions of oral mucosa and accounts for approximately 90% of oral cancers. In‐depth understanding of pathogenesis, hallmarks, and etiological factors is a crucial prerequisite for advancing the diagnosis and treatment for OSCC patients. This review aims to present the latest evidence on the risk factors, diagnostic methods, and therapeutic strategies for OSCC. The major risk factors for OSCC include smoking, drinking, chewing areca nuts, and genetic mutations. In the diagnosis of OSCC, biopsy is recognized as the gold standard, whereas toluidine blue staining serves as the simplest non‐invasive and highly accurate auxiliary method. Various therapeutic interventions, such as chemotherapy, radiation therapy, immunotherapy, and nanomedicine, have been proposed for the prevention and treatment of OSCC. This review systematically synthesizes the current evidence, with the intention of providing valuable insights for the clinical and research communities and facilitating the progress of future research in this field.