The purpose of this study is to verify the discriminatory value of previously identified salivary transcriptome and proteome markers for oral squamous cell cancer in an intended use population of patients with oral lesions suspicious for cancer.

Saliva samples are collected from patients before clinically driven oral biopsy for lesions suspicious for cancer. Specimens are processed by laboratory personnel blinded to the tissue diagnosis. Six pre-specified mRNA markers (IL1b, IL8, SAT, DUSP1, OAZ1 and S100P) are measured by polymerase chain reaction. Markers are compared in cancer and control by raw Ct values as well as by delta Ct after adjustment for housekeeping gens. Appropriate housekeeping genes are identified in a random subset of cancer and control patients and then verified in the remaining subjects. Predictive models are generated by a pre-specified method and robustness evaluated by bootstrap analysis. The model is then further validated in a second cohort. Three pre-specified protein markers (IL8, IL1B, and M2BP) are a secondary endpoint and will also be compared in cancer and control patients.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Adult patients scheduled for biopsy of an oral lesion suspicious for squamous cell cancer

Exclusion Criteria:

• Patients with known prior oral malignancy in last 2 years or other cancer in last 5 years other than non melanoma skin cancer or with immune deficiency

patients with oral lesions suspicious for squamous cell cancer and scheduled for clinically driven biopsy