New Delhi, Nov 30 (NationPress) A group of Indian researchers has identified driver gene mutations responsible for causing oral cancer in female patients from the southern regions of the country.

The research team, comprising members from the Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research (JNCASR) in Bengaluru and the BRIC-National Institute of Biomedical Genomics (NIBMG) in Kalyani, collaborated with clinicians from Sri Devraj Urs Academy of Higher Education and Research (SDUAHER) in Kolar to conduct a study focused on women affected by oral cancer in India, particularly noting the unique tobacco-chewing habits.

Led by Professor Tapas K Kundu from JNCASR, the study aimed to delve into the unique characteristics of oral cancers in women, exploring how these cancers develop and progress, and how treatment can be improved.

Utilizing advanced artificial intelligence techniques, specifically deep learning, the researchers digitally analyzed tumor samples. This analysis uncovered two distinct categories of female patients, each exhibiting different immune responses in their tumors.

India bears one of the highest global burdens of oral cancer, with particularly alarming rates among women in certain regions, especially in the southern and northeastern parts of the country, attributed to the prevalent habit of chewing tobacco-laden products like betel quid and gutka.

While oral cancer has been extensively studied in men, the focus on female patients has often been overlooked.

The research involved analyzing tumor and blood samples from female patients diagnosed with oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC-GB), particularly those with a distinctive regional habit of chewing tobacco (known as Kaddipudi), which is commonly seen among women in Karnataka's Kolar district.

The investigation provided insights into a unique driver mutation associated with oral tumorigenesis affecting this specific female cohort.

Published in the Clinical and Translational Medicine Journal, this research was designed to explore the biological factors behind the aggressive, recurrent, and life-threatening forms of oral cancer impacting Indian women.

By employing cutting-edge whole-exome sequencing, the team identified ten significant genes with mutations present in the female oral cancer cohort from Kolar, Karnataka.

Notably, two major genes, CASP8 and TP53, showed high mutation rates in these patients, with CASP8 identified as the primary driver mutation, differing from the mutations typically observed in male oral cancer patients.

The findings indicate that the co-occurrence of TP53 and CASP8 mutations leads to a notably aggressive and lethal form of oral cancer.

The research team is now concentrating on understanding the molecular mechanisms of oncogenesis driven by this new driver mutation in conjunction with TP53 alterations in their next research phase.