A study looking for changes in genes that cause head and neck cancer - PREGO

Who can enter

You can enter this trial if you are under the care of the Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust and you

• Have squamous cell cancer of the mouth, back of the mouth, nasal cavity and sinuses, voice box or food pipe
• Are having, or have had a small sample of tissue (biopsy) taken from your cancer
• Are having surgery or laser treatment, to remove your cancer
• Have had surgery or laser treatment to remove your cancer

Trial design

This study will recruit between 50 and 150 people a year from the Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust.

When you have your surgery, or laser treatment, to remove your cancer the researchers will ask your permission for a small piece of the tissue removed. If you have already had treatment, the researchers will ask your permission for a small piece of the tissue from when you had your surgery or biopsy. They will also ask your permission to take a photograph of the sample of tissue. This is for their records only.

They will also ask your permission

• For a mouthwash
• For a blood sample
• To take a brushing of your cancer

To do the mouthwash you hold about a teaspoon of salt water in your mouth and rinse it round for about 30 seconds. You then spit it out into a container.

If you are having a biopsy of your cancer, the researchers will lightly brush the area before with a specially designed brush. This is to collect a sample of the cancer cells.

You can choose if you want to do the mouthwash, have the blood sample or brushing taken.

Hospital visits

Taking part in this study requires no extra hospital visit.

Side effects

You may have some slight bruising or bleeding from where the researchers take the blood sample.

You may feel some slight discomfort from the brushing but this will not last long.