With a limited number of therapeutic options available, oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) continues to pose a severe health burden, contributing to it high mortality rate. The tumor suppressor, phosphatase and tensin homolog (PTEN), is typically downregulated in OSCC, which aids in tumor growth. PTEN expression can be regulated by microRNAs (miRNAs/miRs), affecting the course of illness. In the present study, a possible PTEN regulator, miR‑141, was found by computational analysis. PTEN and miR‑141 expression profiling was performed on the samples of patients with OSCC and compared to that of healthy controls. The results revealed a significant inverse correlation between PTEN and miR‑141 expression in OSCC tissues. Specifically, miR‑141 levels were elevated, while PTEN expression was markedly downregulated in cancerous samples compared with the controls. This inverse correlation suggests that miR‑141 may play a regulatory role in silencing PTEN, contributing to the progression of OSCC. These findings provide valuable insight into the molecular mechanisms underlying OSCC and suggest that miR‑141 functions as an oncogenic miRNA in this context by targeting PTEN. The findings presented herein may have broad significance, since they may prove to be valuable for the development of new treatment approaches through the miR‑141/PTEN axis. Restoring PTEN expression by targeting miR‑141 may provide a novel treatment strategy for OSCC. PTEN and miR‑141 may also function as prospective biomarkers for early diagnosis, providing chances to enhance patient outcomes via individualized treatment plans. However, further research is required to further determine the therapeutic potential of this regulatory axis.

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