Important research continues in the area of mouth and lip cancers. Scientists have been studying these cancers for information about causes, treatment and prevention of the disease.

The primary focus of research in oral and oropharyngeal cancers involves the following areas:

• Screening and diagnostic tests. Scientists, including researchers at the National Institutes of Health (NIH), have been studying the use of a saliva test to detect oral cancer. Researchers found that patients with oral cancer have higher levels of certain types of bacteria. Saliva tests have also been successful in identifying proteins and other molecules associated with oral cancer. The presence of these elements may help distinguish between healthy people and those with oral cancer. It is hoped that in the future, a simple saliva test can be used to diagnose oral cancer and predict individuals at risk for the disease.
  
  

  Other devices and tests are being studied for improving the detection of oral cancer, including a hand-held optical device. The scope allows dentists to shine a light into a patient's mouth towards a suspicious area. Using an attached eyepiece, the dentist can watch for changes in color that indicate normal or abnormal tissue. It is hope such a device can be used with routine visual exams of the mouth to detect precancerous and cancerous changes at the earliest stage. An oral rinse is also being studied as a way to detect certain molecules and protein-biomarkers associated with oral cancers.
  
  

• DNA. Scientists are researching the DNA changes are responsible for causing cells in the mouth and throat to become cancerous. They have discovered a mutation of the p53 gene in oral cancer cells. Recent studies suggest that tests for these p53 mutations may allow early detection of oral and oropharyngeal tumors. The tests also may be used to determine which tumors are most likely to respond to surgery or radiation therapy. Additional research in oral cancers has found problems in the p16 gene, which may affect the growth of cancers. Identification of this p16 mutation may help detect particularly aggressive oral cancers.
  
  
• Tumor growth and targeted therapy. Some cancer cells grow especially fast because of hormone–like substances called growth factors. One such growth factor, EGF, has been linked to oral and oropharyngeal cancers. New drugs are being used in clinical trials that target and block EGF to prevent cancer cells from growing and dividing.
  
  
• New medications. Researchers continue to develop and study new chemotherapy drugs that might be more effective in treating advanced oral cancers. In addition to the standard administration of chemotherapy drugs through the veins, researchers are investigating the effectiveness of injecting certain drugs directly into tumors. Recent changes with the drug solutions have shown a renewed effectiveness with this approach. In 2006, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved a new chemotherapy drug combination for the treatment of advanced head and neck cancer. The drug, docetaxel, (Taxotere), was approved for use with two other common chemotherapy drugs (cisplatin, fluorouracil).
  
  
• New radiation therapy methods. Clinical trials have focused on testing the effectiveness of delivering radiation on a twice–a–day schedule for oral and oropharyngeal cancer. Higher cure rates have been reported in several studies and clinical trials continue with these methods. Other studies are examining the use of chemotherapy paired with radiation to treat oral cancers.
  
  
• Vaccines. Vaccines that help the immune system recognize and attack the cancer cells are being studied for oral cancers. Because some of the mouth and lip cancers contain DNA from human viruses, vaccines against these viruses are being developed and studied as a possible treatment. Some oral cancers are associated with human papillomaviruses (HPV), a group of viruses, some of which are also commonly linked to cervical cancer in women. In 2005, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved a vaccine to prevent transmission of several strains of HPV, thus reducing the risk of cervical cancer. The vaccine may help prevent cases of oral cancer in people not previously exposed to HPV. Research into the oral cancer aspect of HPV transmission and prevention is ongoing.
  
  
• Gene therapy. Clinical studies are being conducted to determine if abnormal tumor suppressor genes, such as the p53 gene, of oral cancer cells can be replaced with normal genes. Adding new genes to the cancer cells to increase their response to drugs is also being studied. Gene therapy discoveries appear to be promising in the treatment and prevention of oral and oropharyngeal cancers.
  
  
• Risk factors. Scientists continue to study numerous areas for their association with oral and oropharyngeal cancers. These areas include nutrition, gum disease, oral bacteria and viruses and dental procedures. Studies have found lower levels of folate may be associated with oral cancers while higher levels of vitamin C may decrease the risk of oral cancer. In addition, recent studies have found no link between the use of teeth whitening products and oral cancer.