Predicting which mouth lesions may turn into oral cancer
Official title: PROSPECT: Premalignant Oral Lesions Pathology and Epigenetic Risk Prediction Tool
Funded at Loma Linda University · NIH-11124924 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project uses noninvasive mouth samples plus AI and genetic markers to identify which premalignant mouth lesions are most likely to become oral cancer for people who have oral lesions.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Loma Linda University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Loma Linda, UNITED STATES) |
| Project start | July 1, 2024 |
| Project end | June 30, 2029 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $679,280 |
| NIH project number | 5R01CA293995-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-11124924 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are people who have premalignant oral lesions (for example leukoplakia, erythroplakia, or biopsy-proven dysplasia) and are being followed or evaluated by a clinician.
✕Less likely to help
People without oral premalignant lesions or those who already have invasive oral cavity cancer are unlikely to benefit from this specific project.
What this research studies
You would provide simple, minimally invasive mouth cell samples and may have tissue biopsy data used when available. The team will combine large existing datasets with a new group of patients who have premalignant oral lesions and follow them over time. They will apply deep learning to cytology (cell samples), histology (tissue slides), and epigenetic (DNA-based) markers in a staged way to keep testing as simple as possible. The goal is a stepwise tool that flags high-risk lesions while sparing low-risk patients from unnecessary invasive procedures.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the tool could help doctors spot high-risk mouth lesions earlier so those patients get prompt treatment while others avoid unnecessary biopsies and procedures.
How similar studies have gone: Previous biomarker and AI studies in oral lesions have shown promise, but this combined cytology–histology–epigenetic AI approach is novel and not yet validated in large prospective cohorts.
Where this research is happening
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Loma Linda University
Loma Linda, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Viet, Chi T. — Loma Linda University
- Study coordinator: Viet, Chi T.
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.