Biopsy of Human Tumors for Cancer Stem Cell Characterization: a Feasibility Study
Biopsy of Human Tumors for Cancer Stem Cell Characterization: a Feasibility Study
To see if a limited sampling of tumor tissue from human subjects is a feasible way to gather adequate tissue for cancer stem cell quantification.
Inclusion Criteria:1. Patients with malignant tumors seen at the Stanford University Cancer Center. Eligible patients will have a diagnosis of squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) and will have been seen in the Stanford Head and Neck Oncology Program. A decision to undergo surgery at Stanford will have been made, prior to recruiting patients for the study, and prior to obtaining the samples during surgery. (Histological confirmation of the diagnosis need not be made prior to obtaining consent.) 2. A definitive resection of a malignant tumor is planned. 3. Surgeon judgment that the definitive procedure will not be compromised by including