New Test could Allow Dentists to Diagnosis Oral Cancer in 20 Minutes
A new test could cut the time it takes to diagnose oral cancer dramatically, allowing dentists to diagnose the potentially deadly disease in just 20 minutes.
The test, which involves the dentist taking cells from the patient’s mouth and using computer software to confirm a diagnosis, takes just 20 minutes, which is considerably quicker than the current process, which involves taking a biopsy that is then sent away for analysis at a laboratory. The results of the biopsy test are often not available for 2-3 weeks, resulting in patients having an anxious wait.
Professor Martin Thornhill, from the University of Sheffield, is working with researchers from Rice University in the USA on a two-year trial, which is taking place at Sheffield Teaching Hospitals. If the trial is successful, the new test could be used in practices across the UK.
The test, known as ‘lab on a chip’ uses tiny sensors and biologic agents, which are attached to a portable machine called the lab on a chip analyser; the ‘lab on a chip’ is the same size as a credit card. The portable device can be used in dental practices, meaning that dentists can test for oral cancer on-site, resulting in patients receiving the results much quicker.
So far, 275 people have registered for the trial in Sheffield, with 20 patients having tested positive for oral cancer, despite being completely unaware that they had the disease. At the moment survival rates for oral cancer are only around 50 percent, but this could improve significantly if cases are diagnosed earlier, with early treatment increasing the survival rate up to 90 percent.
Professor Thornhill believes that the new test could be standard procedure in dental practices in the UK within the next five years. The test can be carried out on patients who come in for routine procedures or check-ups who have suspicions lesions or ulcers. In just a short period of time, oral cancer can be ruled out, saving the patient an anxious wait, reducing pressure on hospitals and eliminating the need for the patient to make multiple visits to the practice.
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