Bi-L-Dek mice were crossed to keratin 5 tetracycline transactivator (K5-tTA) transgenic mice to target Dek and luciferase expression to basal keratinocytes that serve as progenitor cells for stratified squamous epithelium and are the cell of origin for squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) of the tongue and esophagus. This evidence concerns the gene KRT5 and squamous cell carcinoma.