TNF and type 2 diabetes mellitus: The noticeable disparity in TNF-α levels between OSCC patients without T2DM (67.43 ±1.7 pg/ml) and the control group (51+42±1.4 pg/ml), coupled with the substantial elevation observed in OSCC patients with T2DM (268±8.5 pg/ml), supports the hypothesis that pro-inflammatory cytokines, particularly TNF-α, play pivotal roles in the pathophysiological processes underlying OSCC development and progression.