BACKGROUND: Tissue microarrays (TMAs) are still seldom used in oncological research, especially that involving otorhinolaryngology, although the benefit of this method has often been reported. METHODS: We prepared ten different tumor probes from patients with head and neck cancer for immunohistochemistry and performed ki67 and proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) staining on the usual paraffin sections as well as on TMAs consisting of the same tissue. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS: We conclude that investigation by means of TMA makes oncological research, and especially the screening of tumor probes, much more efficient since a high correlation ( r>0.7, P