Lab on a Chip for Oral Cancer Shows Promise

Finding out whether that unusual sore in your mouth is cancerous should become a lot faster and easier in the years ahead. Scientists supported by the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research (NIDCR), part of the National Institutes of Health, have engineered the first fully automated, all-in-one test, or lab on a chip, that can be programmed to probe cells brushed from the mouth for a common sign of oral cancer.

About half the size of a toaster, the portable device yields results in just under 10 minutes, or well within the duration of a routine visit to a dentist or doctor. Currently, patients must undergo an often painful tissue biopsy and usually wait three days to a week for the lab results. "What's exciting is the speed and efficiency that this test will bring to the diagnostic process," said John McDevitt, Ph.D., a scientist at the University of Texas at Austin and the senior author on the paper, published in the August issue of the journal Lab on a Chip. "No longer will patients need to endure referrals, long waits for test results, and scheduling follow up consultations. Patients will get immediate results and feedback from their dentist or doctor on how best to proceed." 

McDevitt said his group's proof of principle study showed that their test could accurately measure levels of epidermal growth factor receptor, or EGFR, on three distinct types of oral cancer cells. This protein, which is normally displayed on the surface of our cells, tends to be overproduced in oral tumor cells and serves as a measurable marker of oral cancer.  

To vuew the rest of this news report, please feel free to visit www.nidcr.nih.gov.

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