A new way to understand oral cancer risk

The REASON Score: An Epigenetic And Clinicopathologic Score to Predict Risk of Poor Survival in Early Stage Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma Patients

['FUNDING_R01'] · LOMA LINDA UNIVERSITY · NIH-11103260

This project aims to create a better tool to help doctors understand the risk of early-stage oral cancer returning or getting worse, so patients can receive the most effective treatment.

Quick facts

Phase['FUNDING_R01']
Study typeNih_funding
SexAll
SponsorLOMA LINDA UNIVERSITY (nih funded)
Locations1 site (Loma Linda, UNITED STATES)
Trial IDNIH-11103260 on ClinicalTrials.gov

What this research studies

Many people with early-stage oral cancer face uncertain outcomes, and current methods don't always predict who needs more aggressive treatment. This project is developing a special "REASON Score" that combines information from your tumor's biology with other clinical details. By using this score, doctors hope to identify patients at higher risk, allowing them to tailor treatments more precisely and improve chances of survival. This could mean fewer patients receive unnecessary harsh treatments, while those who truly need them get them sooner.

Who could benefit from this research

Good fit: This research is focused on patients diagnosed with early-stage oral squamous cell carcinoma.

Not a fit: Patients with advanced-stage oral cancer or other types of cancer may not directly benefit from this specific risk assessment tool.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If successful, this tool could help doctors choose the best treatment plan for each patient with early-stage oral cancer, potentially improving survival rates and reducing side effects from overtreatment.

How similar studies have performed: The researchers have already developed an initial version of this risk score that showed strong predictive performance in earlier work.

Where this research is happening

Loma Linda, UNITED STATES

Researchers

About this research

  1. This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
  2. Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
  3. For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.

View on NIH RePORTER →

Conditions: Cancer Induction, Cancers

Last reviewed 2026-05-15 by the Find a Trial editorial team. Information on this page is for educational purposes and is not medical advice. Always consult qualified healthcare professionals about clinical trial participation.