HOXC-AS1 and oral cavity squamous cell carcinoma: 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.