The impact of innate immunity and inflammation on the development of oral cancer and their role in tumor promotion and suppression

• High infiltration of innate immune cells in oral cancer with dual tumor-promoting and tumor-suppressing effects. • Chronic inflammation promotes tumor growth and spread. Acute inflammation has anti-tumor effects. • Cytokines like TGF-beta, interleukins, interferons and chemokines spread pro- and anti-tumor signals via intracellular cascades. • Developing robust innate immune biomarkers to predict immunotherapy response and early recurrence.