Queen Mary team develops qMIDS v3 rapid oral brush test
Technology
A team at Queen Mary University of London has come up with a quick, noninvasive brush test, qMIDS V3, that can detect oral cancer in less than 60 minutes.
Instead of the usual scalpel biopsy, this test just uses a soft brush to collect cheek cells, making the whole process much easier and less stressful.
qMIDS V3 may spare unnecessary biopsies
qMIDS V3 could help patients avoid more than 90% of unnecessary biopsies if their risk is low, and it speeds up diagnosis so treatment can start sooner.
Professor Muy Teck Teh says this new approach also lets doctors keep an eye on suspicious spots over time, catching cancer earlier.
With oral cancer affecting hundreds of thousands worldwide each year, researchers hope to make this test widely available within two years.