Saliva, swab can help early detection of oral cancer

The Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Indore researchers claimed to have developed a non-invasive technique that can detect early signs of oral cancer using only saliva and a swab sample from the inner surface of the mouth. The researchers plan to validate the findings in larger and more diverse groups of patients, and then develop targeted, easy-to-use tests that can be brought into routine clinical practice.The technology’s key strengths are that it is point-of-care, economical, quick, and non-invasive – qualities that matter greatly in a country where access to specialist cancer diagnostics is still limited outside big cities. The study looked at two conditions – oral squamous cell carcinoma, the most common form of oral cancer, and oral submucous fibrosis, which often develops among people who chew areca nut, gutkha or tobacco and can eventually turn cancerous. Do you think that someone has a cure for cancer but it cannot be revealed ?