title: Pilot study: Raman spectroscopy in differentiating premalignant and malignant oral lesions from normal mucosa and benign lesions in humans.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Current practice for differentiating tissue lesions are based on histopathological criteria. This process is subject to error. The purpose of this study was to test whether an alternative, tissue-based molecular signatures Raman spectra could be used to differentiate premalignant and malignant lesions from normal mucosa or benign lesions.
  
  
  METHODS
  Eighteen treatment naive subjects with histologically diagnosed oral disease were studied by comparing the Raman spectra of lesions with contralateral healthy sites. Principle component and multivariate analysis were used to predict which of the tissue groups the average spectrum of each lesion or normal tissue belonged.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The average spectra were clearly different between premalignant and malignant lesions and those derived from normal, benign tissues. Premalignant and malignant lesions could be predicted with 100% sensitivity and 77% specificity.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Raman spectroscopy (RS) offers the potential to provide point of care diagnosis of oral disease using a noninvasive, convenient, and relatively inexpensive technology.
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral Medicine, Infection and Immunity, Harvard School of Dental Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts; Divisions of Oral Medicine, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts.
authors.forename: Kevin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Guze
authors.forename: Hanna C
authors.initials: HC
authors.lastname: Pawluk
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Short
authors.forename: Haishan
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Zeng
authors.forename: Jochen
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Lorch
authors.forename: Charles
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Norris
authors.forename: Stephen
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sonis
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000175:diagnosis*; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009061:Mouth Mucosa; D009062:Mouth Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis*; D011230:Precancerous Conditions / Q000175:diagnosis*; D025341:Principal Component Analysis; D012372:ROC Curve; D013059:Spectrum Analysis, Raman; D000077195:Squamous Cell Carcinoma of Head and Neck; D014062:Tongue Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Raman; diagnostics; oral cancer; spectroscopy; squamous cell carcinoma (SCC)