Report – JOPM-12-21-REV-7257

This manuscript presents an overview of current hypotheses proposed on the relationship between the oral mycobiome and OPMDs. Overall, the review is easy to comprehend, well-written and thoughtful. My comments and concerns are below:

• Why did the authors focus on OED and premalignancy alone? It may be beneficial for the article to increase the scope to include the role of oral mycobiome in the presentation and prognosis of patients with OSCC.
• The authors need to expand thoroughly the section - “Evidence that increased fungal burden is observed during oral carcinogenesis”. Preferably using the above-mentioned points. This is because, this section is the only one that mostly comprises scientific evidence available to us currently which is basically what a review aims to summarize. In the current form, the article reads like a hypothesis rather than a review.
• Regarding the finding of Malassezia in pancreatic cancer (Pg 7), a recent study in oral cancer showed that the genus was associated with improved survival in OSCC (https://doi.org/10.3389/fcimb.2021.673465). Please include the discussion of this finding in the manuscript.
• From the manuscript, it seems that the “mycobiome” studies alluded mainly included studies on Candida alone. Authors should also comment on this in the manuscript together with their recommendations on this for future research.
• Ref no 42 is a preprint article. Authors should refrain from citing these generally as they have not been peer-reviewed or published. However, the published version of the specific manuscript is available now (https://doi.org/10.1128/mBio.03144-21). Authors should change this accordingly.
• Include full meaning of “APECED” in “APECED syndrome”
• Authors should consider including a separate section on future recommendations, research directions, and perspectives to improve understanding.

The authors have improved the manuscript based on the suggestions. However, may I add that the title of the manuscript be revised in line with the inclusion of studies that studied the oral mycobiome in OSCC.