The enigmatic role of matrix-metalloproteinases in epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition of oral squamous cell carcinoma. Implication and nutraceutical aspects
The most prevalent malignancy in the oral cavity is represented by oral
squamous cell carcinoma, an aggressive disease mostly detected in low‐income
communities. This neoplasia is mostly diffused in older men particularly
exposed to risk factors such as tobacco, alcohol, and a diet rich in fatty foods
and poor in vegetables. In oral squamous cell carcinoma, a wide range of
matrix‐cleaving proteinases are involved in extracellular matrix remodeling of
cancer microenvironment. In particular, matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs)