Objective To investigate the effect of lactic acid on the migration and invasion ability of human tongue squamous cell carcinoma cells SCC15 and explore the underlying preliminary mechanism.Methods After treating SCC15 with lactic acid at 10,15,20 mmol/L,scratch healing test and Transwell assay was utilized to detect the migration ability of SCC15.Matrigel invasion assay was employed to detect the invasion ability of SCC15.After treating SCC15 with lactic acid at 10,15 mmol/L,cell adhesion ability was evaluated through cell-cell adhesion assay and cell-substrate adhesion assay.The expression of phosphorylated focal adhesion kinase(p-FAK)was examined using immunofluorescence and western-blotting.Expression of epithelial-mesenchymal transition(EMT)related genes were measured using real-time quantitative PCR(qRT-PCR).Results Lactic acid enhanced the migration and invasion ability of SCC15(P<0.01),reduced cell-cell adhesion and cell-substrate adhesion levels(P<0.01),downregulated the expression of p-FAK(P<0.01),and upregulated the expression of EMT-related genes(P<0.05).Conclusion Preliminary findings suggest that lactic acid may enhance the migration and invasion ability of SCC15 by upregulating the expression of EMT-related genes.