Creating “smart lollipops” to diagnose oral cancer

England – A team of scientists has developed “flavored lollipops” that may be able to diagnose oral cancer.

Nowadays, diagnosing oral cancer can involve placing a flexible camera at the end of a tube through the nose or mouth and taking a biopsy for testing.

This procedure is painful and time consuming, and requires specialized skills of the endoscopist.

The scientists say their lollipop might be a faster, gentler alternative and might be used in primary care settings, such as general surgery.

The lollipop is manufactured using a material known as smart hydrogel, which was developed by scientists at the University of Birmingham.

The idea is that patients suck on a lollipop, transferring a saliva sample to the hydrogel.

The scientists explained that the hydrogel acts like a fishing net by “catching” proteins, and the “net” can later be opened in the laboratory to release the proteins for analysis.

Dr Ruchi Gupta, Professor at the University of Birmingham, said: “The smart hydrogel has really exciting potential for oral cancer diagnosis. It can be easily formed into a solid to capture proteins in saliva. “We are really excited to start the next phase of this project and hope to be the first to create an oral cancer diagnostic device that is gentler for patients and easier for GPs to use.”

Dr. Gupta indicated that his team is currently working on determining the flavors of the lollipops.

Dr Ian Foulkes, Executive Director of Research and Innovation at Cancer Research UK, explained: “Nasal biopsies and endoscopy are the gold standard for diagnosing oral cancer, but they require significant skill to perform and can be unpleasant for patients. “We want an alternative, accurate, faster and gentler test that can help us diagnose oral cancers sooner.” He added: “This project is an exciting first step towards a completely new way to identify oral cancers early. “Research like this points us towards a future where people can live longer and better lives, free from the fear of cancer.”

Source: Independent