Oral cancer is the thirteenth most typical variety of cancer globally, and oral squamous cell carcinomas (OSCCs) account for greater than 90% of oral cancers. An estimated 300,000 recent cases and 145,000 deaths worldwide were attributed to oral cancer in 2012.

Since oral cancer occurs in one of the crucial accessible sites within the body, it could possibly be easily treated if detected promptly. If caught early within the disease state, oral cancers that remain localized and are 2 centimeters or smaller might be cured and five-year survival rates exceed 90%.

In Journal of Vacuum Science & Technology B, copublished by AIP Publishing and AVS, researchers from the University of Florida and National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University in Taiwan report a breakthrough hand-held biosensor that permits quick and accurate detection of oral cancer.

Oral squamous cell carcinomas are one of the crucial common lip and oral cavity cancer types. It requires early detection via various medical technologies to enhance the survival rate. While most detection techniques for OSCC require histological testing in a lab to substantiate the presence of cancer and cancer type, a point-of-care detection technique is preferred for on-site use and a fast result readout.”

Minghan Xian, co-author and researcher, University of Florida

The group’s biosensor consists of a sensor strip, just like a glucose strip, and a circuit board (a hand-held terminal like a glucometer) for detection.

“Typically, test fluid is introduced right into a small liquid channel on the tip of the sensor strips,” said Xian. “Just a few electrodes sit throughout the liquid channel, and the surface of those electrodes contain antibodies to specific proteins present inside human oral cancer lesions. Short electrode pulses get sent through these electrodes during detection, after which the circuit board module analyzes this signal and outputs a four-digit number that correlates to its concentration.”

So far as applications, there’s tremendous interest throughout the sensor and medical communities to develop semiconductor- and electrochemical-based biomarker detection. The team is now looking forward to demonstrating their integrated solution for cancer and other disease detection via a hand-held point-of-care device with a brief detection time and low detection limit. In addition they hope their work will encourage further research into this topic.

“The following step on this continuum is to conduct the evaluation using in vivo samples of CIP2A – a biomarker of OSCC – in oral cancer and non-oral cancer patients with biopsy as a gold standard,” said Xian.

Source:

American Institute of Physics

Journal reference:

Xian, M., et al. (2022) High sensitivity CIP2A detection for oral cancer using a rapid transistor-based biosensor module. Journal of Vacuum Science & Technology B. doi.org/10.1116/6.0002175.