“…The variant rs861539 in XRCC3 , characterized by a C–T transversion at position 722, affects protein repair function, leading to genetic instability and DNA DSB accumulation (Lindh, Rafii, Schultz, Cox, & Helleday, ; Matullo et al, ; Nowacka‐Zawisza et al, ; Pierce, Johnson, Thompson, & Jasin, ). Previous studies have demonstrated that these genetic variants in RAD51 and XRCC3 contribute to development and progression in acute myeloid leukemia and carcinomas in several locations (Avci, Ergen, Bireller, Ertugrul, & Cakmakoglu, ; Dos Reis et al, ; Farnebo et al, ; Flores‐Obando, Gollin, & Ragin, ). However, their role in oral and oropharyngeal SCC is not well established.…”