RATIONALE: Studying samples of tissue from patients with cancer in the laboratory may help doctors learn more about changes that occur in DNA and identify biomarkers related to cancer.

PURPOSE: This laboratory study is looking at DNA in tissue samples from patients with head and neck cancer.

OBJECTIVES:

• Assess common genetic mutations in tumor and germline DNA samples from patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC).
• Search for viral DNAs and relate this information to demographics, tumor characteristics, and patient prognosis.
• Search for novel viral sequences and cancer-associated gene mutations in young nonsmoking HNSCC patients and in other distinct head and neck cancers.
• Determine tumor suppressor gene mutations in HNSCC patients and relate this information to gene expression data.
• Validate gene expression information using independent techniques such as real-time PCR on expressed sequences and immunohistochemistry.

OUTLINE: Genetic mutation analysis and gene expression studies are performed on tissue samples from patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma. Techniques used include real time-PCR and immunohistochemistry.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Patient with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) enrolled in the Head and Neck Tissue Repository

  • Sufficient biological material collected to perform study tests

• Historical material available from excess tissues at the Vanderbilt Pathology Department

Exclusion Criteria:

• Not specified

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

• Not specified

Nonsmoking patients less than 40 years of age at first diagnosis of HNSCC.