Studies of oral and oropharyngeal cancer are underway at hospitals and medical centers around the country. A great deal of this research is focused on genetics, particularly on common events such as mutation of the p53 tumor suppressor gene. Alterations in this gene contribute to the aggressiveness of many head and neck cancers. Tests to detect these p53 gene alterations may allow very early detection of tumors, show whether all cancer cells have been removed and determine which tumors are most likely to respond to treatment.
Researchers are also developing new chemotherapy drugs that might prove more effective in fighting advanced oral and oropharyngeal cancer. Intra-arterial chemotherapy, in which drugs are injected into the vessels that supply the tumor with blood, is being tested in combination with radiation therapy. Research on intra-lesional chemotherapy, in which drugs are injected directly into the tumor, is also underway. Some investigators are using viruses to deliver gene products directly into tumor tissue.
