Pilot study: Raman spectroscopy in differentiating premalignant and malignant oral lesions from normal mucosa and benign lesions in humans.

Background: Current practice for differentiating tissue lesions are based on histopathological criteria. This process is subject to error. The purpose of this study was to test whether an alternative, tissue-based molecular signatures Raman spectra could be used to differentiate premalignant and malignant lesions from normal mucosa or benign lesions.