Metabolite changes in oral tumours and cysts: a narrative review.

Omics analysis can identify new biomarkers at various levels and illuminate the molecular mechanisms of disease. As the furthest downstream of omics analyses, metabolomics reveals rapid and direct changes and has become an important marker for many diseases. Key metabolites can promote the development of diseases. Screening important metabolites to identify biomarkers can not only provide diagnostic standards and identification points in clinical diagnosis but also guide research on molecularly targeted therapies for clinical use. However, the application of metabolomics in oral diseases is not yet mature. This paper reviews the metabolomics analysis of oral and maxillofacial pathology and analyses the changes in metabolites from different perspectives, such as diagnosis and treatment. Common diseases associated with oral and maxillofacial pathology were used as search terms to screen the literature on metabolomics. Finally, a total of 51 articles were selected. Metabolomic analysis has been performed for ameloblastomas, odontogenic keratocysts, salivary gland tumours, oral cancer, and periapical disease. In particular, relatively comprehensive metabolomics analyses of oral cancer, including risk factors and the effects of radiotherapy and chemotherapy on metabolites, have been performed. In addition, studies have focused on metabolites of oral cancer determined using different types of samples or different types of instruments. In summary, this review discusses the metabolomic analysis of common diseases related to oral and maxillofacial pathology. This analysis aims to elucidate the gaps in the metabolic spectrum of oral and maxillofacial pathology and the challenges that further research needs to address, thus suggesting research directions and strategies to cope with challenges and identify valuable metabolic markers to guide the diagnosis and treatment of diseases related to oral and maxillofacial pathology, which may help to inhibit disease development and progression and thereby improve patient survival rates and quality of life.