Rapid brush test detects oral cancer

Researchers led by Queen Mary University of London have developed a non-invasive brush biopsy test (qMIDS-V3) that can detect oral cancer within one hour. The test, validated in the largest study of its kind involving over 1,000 samples from 545 patients, measures the activity of four cancer-related genes from cells collected by a soft brush. Published in Biomarker Research, the test demonstrated 95.5% accuracy and could prevent over 90% of unnecessary scalpel biopsies. The international team includes King George s Medical University, Modern Dental College and Research Centre, and All India Institutes of Medical Sciences. The researchers are seeking a commercial partner to bring the test into clinical practice within two years.