Gene expression in normal and tumor samples from patients with HNSCC

Tissue samples were collected from patients diagnosed with HNSCC (oropharynx, hypopharynx, larynx). Samples were taken from the tumor site (tumor samples) and from a site distant to the tumor (normal samples) prior to therapy. The study goals were to 1) compare the expression of microRNAs in tumor and normal samples from individual patients and 2) determine whether the differences in expression of microRNAs is associated with patient survival outcomes. Fifteen paired normal and tumor samples from individual patients were analyzed (a total of 30 samples).