IIT Indore Researchers Develop Non-Invasive Method for Oral Cancer Detection

Scientists at IIT Indore have invented a new way to check for mouth cancer without needing a biopsy.

Instead, they use a tiny bit of spit, called saliva, and a soft swab from inside the mouth.

Mouth cancer is a big problem in India, and many patients only find out about it after the disease has already advanced.

The usual test, called a biopsy, is invasive and hard to repeat for keeping an eye on high-risk patients.

The new method looks for tiny molecular clues in the spit and swab that show cancer might be starting, even before the mouth looks sick.

These clues are linked to how the body uses fat, makes energy, handles stress, and repairs tissue.

The scientists compared samples from healthy people, people with a condition that can turn into cancer, and people with oral cancer.

Finding these early clues could help doctors watch high-risk people, check on precancerous spots, and avoid the need for repeated invasive biopsies.

The findings were published in a journal called the British Journal of Cancer, and a patent has been applied for.

Next, the scientists will test the method on larger groups of patients so it can become an easy test for doctors to use.