Hamadan University of Medical Sciences Avicenna Journal of Dental Research 2423-7582 17 1 2025 03 29 Assessing the Prognostic Reliability of Autophagy-Related Biomarkers in Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma: A Systematic Review 35 40 10.34172/ajdr.1873 EN Nishanthi Raja https://orcid.org/0009-0008-9724-5165 Anuradha Ganesan https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6214-9677 KV Swathi Krithika Chandrasekar Lakshmi REVIEW 10.34172/ajdr.1873 2024 05 24 2024 08 14 Background: Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is one of the most common cancer types worldwide. Due to the limited availability of biomarkers and therapeutic targets, OSCC is the major leading cause of cancer death. Although many studies have shown the role of the autophagy-related biomarker in cell survival and progression of several cancers, it is unclear whether the autophagy-related biomarker could be a marker in tumorigenesis and prognosis in OSCC. The aim of this review was to evaluate the available evidence about the possibly significant role of autophagy-related genes (ATG) in tumorigenesis and prognosis in OSCC. Methods: A systematic review was conducted according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analysis statement, and the PICOS question was, "Whether autophagy genes can be a marker in tumorigenesis and prognosis in oral cancer." A search strategy was elaborated to retrieve studies (2018-2023) from various databases, such as PubMed, Google Scholar, Cochrane Library, and Web of Science. The risk of bias was assessed using the QUADAS tool in Cochrane Rev-Man software 5.4. Results: Based on the inclusion and exclusion criteria, three out of 178 studies found through the search were included in this systematic review. The majority of the studies accurately demonstrated features of the tumor with a worse prognosis in OSCC that were associated with an autophagy-related biomarker. Conclusion: According to the review, investigations indicate that biomarkers related to autophagy can be used to predict the diagnosis and prognosis of OSCC.