BAX and oral lichen planus: This result accorded with their effect on the apoptosis, as HIF‐1α, VEGF, MMP, Bax and caspase were reported to promote apoptosis, while Bcl‐2 could suppress it.17, 18, 19, 20 Thus, the SUC accumulation might also tend to launch apoptosis during malignant transformation from OLP to OSCC.