On Sept. 10, 2007, the National Cancer Institute (NCI) awarded a five-year, $12.5 million Specialized Program of Research Excellence grant in head and neck cancer to the Winship Cancer Institute. This was the first SPORE grant ever received in the state of Georgia. SPORE grants are large, multidisciplinary federal grants that fund scientific research aimed at bringing new laboratory findings quickly to the clinic.

With an expected 40,000 new cases and 11,500 deaths in 2007, squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck accounts for 4 percent to 5 percent of all newly diagnosed cancers in the U.S. According to recent National Cancer Institute statistics, Southeastern states rank among the highest in the nation in head and neck cancer incidence.