Nano-Bio-Chip Detects Oral Cancer

Researchers at Rice University have developed a nano-bio-chip sensor technique that shows promise as a new diagnostic tool for early detection of oral cancer. The nano-bio-chip integrates multiple laboratory processes into a microfluidic platform: cell separation/capture on the membrane filter, biomarker immunolabeling and cytochemical staining, and fluorescent imaging and analysis. It avoids the need for a biopsy, as it requires just a brush of the lesion on the cheek or tongue to obtain a cytology sample. First results obtained with the chip appeared online in the journal Cancer Prevention Research. The study compared results of traditional diagnostic tests with those obtained with nano-bio-chips on a sample of 52 participants, all of whom had visible oral lesions, leukoplakia or erythroplakia, and had been referred to specialists for surgical biopsies or removal of the lesions. The test that uses the nano-bio-chip was found to be 97 percent sensitive and 93 percent specific in detecting which patients had malignant or premalignant lesions. A larger trial involving 500 patients has been planned. Researchers hope the eventual deployment of nano-bio-chips will dramatically cut the cost of medical diagnostics and contribute significantly to the task of bringing quality health care to the world.
Press statement from Rice University: Chip checks for oral cancer…
Article abstract: Nano-Bio-Chip Sensor Platform for Examination of Oral Exfoliative Cytology