Quantitative Optical Sensor Findings in Head & Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma

The goal of this study is to determine the optical spectroscopy characteristics of tumor in patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). HNSCC constitutes over 90% of all head and neck cancers. These spectroscopy measurements will be compared with pathological diagnosis of tissue biopsies from the same site. These readings will be performed in the operating room during routine endoscopy with biopsy and tumor mapping of patients who have a suspected squamous cell carcinoma of the head and/or neck. Furthermore, a built in pressure sensor will be used to compare biopsy sites with their benign counterparts. If successful, the optical measurements could be used to survey for and delineate the extent of malignancies in a noninvasive manner. This would be especially helpful for clinic visits where suspicious lesions are seen and would otherwise require biopsy for diagnosis. Immediate benefits would include patients with unknown primaries in which numerous directed biopsies are obtained from multiple head and neck sites.

PURPOSE OF THE STUDY:

HYPOTHESES:

Noninvasive optical spectroscopic measurements of Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma (HNSCC) result in unique signatures that can differentiate between dysplasia, normal, other benign conditions as well as response to radiation therapy as assessed by clinical and histopathological methods.

STUDY OBJECTIVES

1. Characterization of physiological and morphological features of clinical HNSCCs using a spectroscopy based quantitative optical sensor
2. Evaluate the built-in pressure sensor of the probe as a means of making more measurements at a more consistent, narrower pressure range.

This device will be used to compare spectroscopy measurements with histopathological diagnoses. Subjects will undergo optical measurements at the time of routine biopsy for a suspected squamous cell carcinoma of the head and/or neck . Diffuse reflectance spectroscopy measurements from each lesion of clinical interest, as well as distant normal tissue. Three to five repeated scans will be obtained at each measured site. The clinical "tumor" site will then be biopsied. Samples will not be collected from normal tissue for biopsy. The results of the spectroscopy measurements are for research purposes only and will not be used to confirm a subject's diagnosis.

The optical spectrometer does not breach any skin defense barrier. As this study involves noninvasive optical measurements of tissues, no significant safety concerns are anticipated. The protocol measurements take less than one minute per site. The total amount of extended OR time is expected to be less than 5 minutes. No additional charges to the subject and/or insurance company is expected.

Qualitative analysis will be performed to describe whether there is correlation between spectroscopy measurements and pathologic diagnosis.

Eligibility Criteria:
Inclusion Criteria:

* Patients undergoing panendoscopy and biopsy for suspected squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck.
* patient is \> 24 to \<89 years of age
* Ability to understand and the willingness to sign a written informed consent document.

Exclusion Criteria:

* \< 24 years of age, \>89 years of age
* Unable to provide written informed consent.