Nanotechnology Employed to Detect Oral Cancer

A new test for oral cancer, which a dentist or oral surgeon could perform by simply using a brush to collect cells from a patient's mouth, has been developed.

The test, which could provide a rapid accurate diagnosis for lesions where there is a suspicion of oral cancer. The new test will involve removing cells with a brush, placing them on a chip, and inserting the chip into the analyzer, leading to a result in 8-10 minutes.

This new technology uses the latest techniques in microchip design, nanotechnology, micro-fluids, image analysis, pattern recognition, and biotechnology to shrink many of the main functions of a state-of-the-art clinical pathology laboratory onto a nano-biochip the size of a credit card.

The nano-biochips are disposable and slotted like a credit card into a battery-powered analyzer. A brush-biopsy sample is placed on the card and microfluidic circuits wash cells from the sample into the reaction chamber. The cells pass through minifluidic channels and come in contact with "biomarkers" that react only with specific types of diseased cells. The machine uses two light-emitting diodes (LED's), to light up various regions of the cells and cell compartments. Healthy and diseased cells can be distinguished from one another by the way they glow in response to the LEDs.

A team at the University of Sheffield (Sheffield, UK) begun carrying out clinical trials on patients at Charles Clifford Dental Hospital, (Sheffield, UK) for two years to perfect the technology and make it as sensitive as possible. If the trials confirm that the new technology is as effective as carrying out a biopsy then it could become a regular application at dentist surgeries in the future. The current procedure involves removing a small piece of tissue from the mouth and sending it to a pathologist. This is typically done at a hospital, can take a week or more, and involve extra visits for the patient.

Martin Thornhill, M.BB.S., B.D.S., Ph.D., Professor of Oral Medicine at Sheffield University, said, "This new affordable technology will significantly increase our ability to detect oral cancer in the future. With the new technology, a brush would be used to painlessly remove a few cells from the lining of the mouth that would be analyzed within minutes in the presence of the patient, so that the patient would know the result before leaving the clinic.”

Related Links:
University of Sheffield
Charles Clifford Dental Hospital