Abstract
Locally advanced oral squamous cell carcinoma poses a significant challenge in oncology due to its rising incidence and mortality rates. Despite therapeutic progress, understanding molecular intricacies is essential. This study explored the role of PON2, a multifunctional enzyme implicated in antiapoptotic mechanisms. Aberrant PON2 expression in oral cancers raises questions regarding its involvement in evading programmed cell death and treatment resistance. Patients with locally advanced disease were enrolled, and molecular analyses were undertaken on the collected tumor and normal tissues. Utilizing computational datasets, this study used in silico gene expression analysis, differential gene expression analysis in our patient cohort, survival analysis, and gene set enrichment analysis to unravel role of PON2 in disease prognosis. The results showed elevated PON2 levels in advanced tumor stages, correlating with factors such as tobacco exposure, higher tumor grade, and nodal metastasis. Survival analysis revealed prognostic relevance of PON2, with lower expression linked to extended survival rates. Gene set enrichment analysis identified pathways aiding in cancer metastasis influenced by PON2. This study underscores the significance of PON2 expression as a prognostic marker for oral malignancies, with increased expression associated with advanced disease stages. Understanding the molecular profile of the PON2 gene suggests its potential as a valuable biomarker for the management of cancer.