New method to diagnose oral cancer discovered
Scientists have discovered a new method to diagnose oral cancer which could replace the taking of tissue samples as the common method.
The method of diagnosis would involve the use of a swab to test saliva after it was found certain chemicals, if in limited amount within saliva, could be a sign of oral cancer.
These findings come courtesy of researchers at the University of California, Los Angeles School of Dentistry. The discovery was published in the Clinical Cancer Research Journal.
The discovery has caused optimism amongst scientists, but it is still believed it will take some time before the new testing method can replace such trusted methods as biopsy.
The research group consisted of 100 patients, of which 50 had already been diagnosed with oral squamous cell carcinoma and 50 who were healthy.
It was found that patients already diagnosed with oral cancer had lower levels of microRNAs (molecules created as a consequence of the development cells undergo to create protein). It is believed such low levels are indicative of oral cancer.
Professor Jennifer Grandis, senior editor of Clinical Cancer Research, said: “It is a holy grail of cancer detection to be able to measure the presence of a cancer without a biopsy.”
Others are not quite so trusting. Professor St John Crean, associate director of undergraduate dental studies at the Peninsula Dental School in Plymouth said: “This research looks very exciting but it is filled with great concerns.”
“The problem is that this research was done on 50 patients with oral cancer and 50 healthy patients, so we do not know if the test can pick up people with pre-malignant cells.”
It is believed that around 1,800 people die from oral cancer in the UK each year.
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