Oral cancer is often detected at a late stage. According to the researchers, more than half of all cases are not identified until the disease has already progressed.
This makes treatment more difficult and reduces survival rates, according to HealthDay.
The risk of oral cancer is highest among people who smoke, consume alcohol, or are infected with HPV.
Exposure to the sun's rays can also increase the risk of lip cancer.
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A new method
Normally, doctors need to take a tissue sample if they suspect oral cancer.
This involves removing a small piece of tissue from areas such as the tongue, gums, or the inside of the cheek.
The procedure can be painful, and some patients need to undergo multiple examinations, the researchers said.
Researchers have therefore investigated a new method in which cells are collected with a soft brush from the area that appears suspicious.
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The sample is then tested for four genes associated with oral cancer.
Promising results
The study, published in the journal Biomarker Research, included 1,090 samples from 545 patients.
According to the findings, the test correctly detected oral cancer in nearly 96 percent of cases while correctly ruling out the disease in around 95 percent of people who did not have cancer.
The researchers estimate that the new brush test could replace up to 90 percent of tissue biopsies that later prove to be unnecessary.
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According to Queen Mary University of London, the university is now working to prepare the test for use in the healthcare system.
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