18 years of age and older

1 or 2 sites of biopsy-confirmed squamous cell or basal cell carcinomas limited to head and neck regions

EXCLUSION CRITERIA:

prior history of allergy to midazolam or any of the syrup components, history of hypersensitivity to other benzodiazepines, congestive heart failure (AHA Class III and IV), renal failure requiring hemodialysis, end-stage liver failure, chronic alcoholism or alcohol intoxication (more than a standard drink is equal to 13.7 grams of pure alcohol or 12-ounces of beer, 8-ounces of malt liquor, 5-ounces of wine, 1.5-ounces or a ?shot? of 80-proof distilled spirits or liquor) with 24 hours of surgery, untreated or uncontrolled open angle glaucoma, uncontrolled hypertension, history of psychoses or affective disorders, neuromuscular disorders such as myasthenia gravis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease will be excluded as will patients on medications interfering with renal excretion or microsomal metabolism unless the last dose was taken; 5 half-lives55 prior to surgery as summarized in Table 1. Patients with weights less than 100 lb (45 kg) will be excluded as will pregnant women. Women of childbearing potential will be required to take an in-office urine pregnancy test. Breast-feeding mothers must stop breast-feeding for 7 days after taking midazolam to take part in this study.

RANDOMIZED ARM: Patients with a single cancer > 5 cm in the greatest dimension or with more than 2 cancers will be excluded. Patients who were previously premedicated with oral midazolam during prior MMS episodes will be excluded as well. Upper weight limit will be 220 lb (100 kg).

PROSPECTIVE ARM: Patients wishing to receive oral midazolam in a non-blinded fashion will not be excluded based on the size of an individual tumor, total number of tumors, or prior history of oral midazolam. There will be no upper weight limitation.