Gentle Touch Of A Brush To Detect Oral Cancer

Disorders Cure

oi-Cara

By Cara

Tuesday, April 6, 2010, 15:50

Now detecting oral cancer can be easy... just a gentle touch of a brush can detect oral cancer.

The test that uses Rice's diagnostic nano-bio-chip was found to be 97 per cent sensitive and 93 per cent specific in detecting which patients had malignant or pre-malignant lesions. The results are as accurate as the traditional medical tests.

The lab developed the novel nano-bio-chip technology at the Rice University is one of the key discoveries to detect oral cancer, at an early stage.

The researchers are working to create an inexpensive chip that can differentiate pre-malignancies from the 95 per cent of lesions that will not become cancerous. The minimally invasive technique would deliver results in 15 minutes instead of several days, as lab-based diagnostics do now.

Patients with suspicious lesions, usually discovered by dentists or oral surgeons end up getting scalpel or punch biopsies as often as every six months. Instead of an invasive, painful biopsy, this new procedure requires just a light brush of the lesion on the cheek or tongue with an instrument that looks like a toothbrush.

The bio chip is equipped with the ability to capture, stain and analyse bio markers for a variety of health woes that also include cardiac disease, HIV and trauma injuries.

Researchers hope the eventual deployment of nano-bio-chips will dramatically cut the cost of medical diagnostics and contribute significantly to the task of bringing quality health care to the world.

Disclaimer: The information provided in this article is for general informational and educational purposes only and is not intended as a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or a qualified healthcare provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.