Completion of the human genome project in 2001 ushered in an era of personalized medicine. The hope was that genome-wide approaches would facilitate the development of highly effective biomarkers to determine risk in cancer patients. Some cancers have had significantly improved outcomes from substantial research funding to develop biomarkers for risk prediction. For example, commercially available genomic tests predict the risk of recurrence in breast cancer patients and are currently used to guide treatment decisions.6-8 These and other advances in breast cancer treatment fueled by biomarker research have resulted in improvement in survival over the past two decades, particularly in young women with metastatic disease. In contrast, oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) survival has remained stagnant. In fact OSCC incidence is on the rise, affecting 400,000 people globally each year, with the largest increase in young patients. Both general dentists and specialists can be involved in the multi-disciplinary management of OSCC whether it involves screening exams, diagnosis, or treatment. Aside from high mortality, OSCC patients suffer from significantly higher morbidity than other cancers, due to the cosmetic and functional deformities resulting from treatment that affect their ability to eat, taste, speak, and relate to others. In the U.S. alone, 30,000 people are diagnosed with OSCC yearly, of which about half will die of their disease, accounting for approximately one death per hour.

There is currently no reliable clinical, histologic or molecular marker to determine individual risk in patients within the same OSCC stage. However, recent advancements in OSCC stratification have been made in both the areas of molecular biomarkers and advanced radiographic techniques to improve determination of tumor invasion. At the same time, personalized risk prediction translates into personalized surgery, with advancements in intraoperative techniques used to predict tumor extent, guide ablative surgery, and streamline reconstruction.

The purpose of this symposium is to provide a high-level overview of exciting developments in different molecular and radiologic diagnostic strategies used to determine risk in oral cancer. Furthermore, it will provide an update on the surgical advances in oral cancer, which leverages diagnostic strategies as well as 3D modeling to accurately predict tumor volume. A broad spectrum of expertise will be represented by our featured clinician-scientist speakers: topics will range from methylation biomarkers of poor outcomes in oral cancer, to predicting tumor volume with different radiologic advancements, to intraoperative strategies developed from the results of multiple clinical and preclinical studies.

This symposium will target dental students, post-graduate students, dentists, dentist-scientists, and scientists who wish to expand their knowledge of the technological advances in molecular, radiologic, and surgical diagnostics to improve oral cancer outcomes. This session will be geared towards clinicians and researchers alike.