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. 2026 Sep 22;16:1964724. doi: 10.3389/fcimb.2026.1964724

Figure 1.

Infographic explaining interconnected pathways linking periodontitis and lung cancer, including microbial translocation from oral cavity to lung, chronic inflammation and immune dysregulation, and epigenetic modifications, with diagrams and molecular mechanisms driving lung cancer progression.

Schematic overview of the biological mechanisms linking periodontal disease to lung cancer. The figure illustrates three interconnected mechanistic pathways through which periodontal disease may promote lung carcinogenesis via the "oral-lung axis." Microbial translocation: Periodontal pathogens, particularly Fusobacterium nucleatum, migrate from the oral cavity to the lungs via microinhalation or hematogenous routes, inducing local inflammation and tissue damage. Chronic inflammation and immune dysregulation: Periodontitis disrupts local barriers, allowing bacteria and inflammatory mediators to enter the circulation, leading to systemic low-grade inflammation, Treg expansion, IL-6 elevation, and tumor microenvironment remodeling. Epigenetic modifications: Periodontal disease-associated DNA methylation alterations at shared sites (e.g., HOXA4, STXBP6) may contribute to lung cancer risk.