Conclusion: HOXC-AS1 competitively binds to EZH2, inhibiting its binding to H3 in the HOXC9 promoter region, resulting in a decrease in H3K27me3 and enhanced expression of HOXC9, thereby promoting CSCs and EMT in oral leukoplakia, ultimately leading to malignant transformation into oral squamous cell carcinoma. Here, HOXC9 is linked to oral cavity squamous cell carcinoma.