Oral Cancer and Lipids—Bridging the Gap between Health and Disease: A Review

Lipids are fundamental biomolecules acting as structural frameworks of all living cells, energy reservoirs, and key mediators of cellular signaling.They have fundamental biological functions such as cell growth, differentiation, apoptosis, and maintenance of membrane integrity.Disturbance of lipid metabolism can result in disruption of these functions as the composition and permeability of cell membranes vary.These imbalances appear to be involved in the onset or progression of a range of different diseases, such as metabolic disorders and malignant carcinomas.Research has shown over time that the close relationship between dietary lipids and overall well-being should never be underestimated.Michel-Eugne Chevreul identified the structure of lipids in 1823.In the meantime, i.e., in the early 19th century, English chemist and physician William Prout proposed the critical importance of lipids in human nutrition and overall diet.In 1907, the American physiologist Francis Bndict showed that dietary fats are a major energy source for muscle.At the same time, the relationship between nutrition and disease became increasingly apparent in the 20th century, laying the groundwork for what is known today as modern dietetics.A watershed moment came in 1929, when GO Burr discovered the indispensable quality of specific FAs, particularly omega-3, and the first recorded human deficiency case was found in 1982.Before the Second World War, no countries had posted dietary guidelines on lipid intake.