RATIONALE: Studying the proteins expressed in samples of tumor tissue from patients with cancer may help doctors identify and learn more about biomarkers related to cancer. It may also help doctors plan better treatment for patients with cancer of the oropharynx.

PURPOSE: This laboratory study is looking at protein expression in tumor tissue samples from patients with cancer of the oropharynx.

OBJECTIVES:

• To investigate if some of the differences in gene expression are also reflected at the protein level.
• To determine whether differences in gene expression that are also reflected at the protein level can be used to develop markers for early detection and disease surveillance.
• To identify targets for therapy.

OUTLINE: Archived tumor tissue samples are analyzed for expression of standard immunohistological markers (e.g., p16, p53, and Ki-67) as well as expression of genes identified in a previous gene expression study. Protein expression data are tested for clinical and demographic correlates and compared with gene expression data.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Diagnosis of squamous cell carcinoma of the oropharynx
• Tumor tissue samples available from Vanderbilt Head and Neck Tumor Repository and Vanderbilt Pathology archives

Exclusion Criteria:

• Not specified

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

• Not specified

community sample