Oral cancer is a major public health issue in the Indian sub-continent and it is the second most common cancer in our country. It accounts for 10.4% of all cancers that are being reported in India. Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) constitutes more than 90% of all oral cancers. 48% patients with oral cancer often present with symptoms at a late stage, and there is high recurrence rate after treatment. The overall 5-year survival rate of oral cancer is 50%. Delayed detection and lack of public awareness are likely to be primary reasons for the high morbidity rate of oral cancer patients and this call for the imperative need for sensitive screening tests to improve early detection of oral cancer. We have hypothesized that the saliva based clinical diagnostic tests could be promising non-invasive method for diagnosis of oral cancer. Additional research in this area would yield over the counter diagnostic kits for detection of oral cancer. Owing to the advantages of saliva based diagnostic test which include non-invasive sample procurement and close proximity to the lesion, this research aims at evaluation of potential salivary biomarkers in oral cancer patients as well as Oral potentially malignant disorders (OPMD), so that saliva may be used as a screening tool for early oral cancer detection. Validation of specific salivary biomarkers for diagnostic test accuracy will be performed.
Department of Oral & Maxillofacial Pathology & Microbiology, School of Dentistry, Health Sciences Campus, Kochi
Prior hands on experience on instrumentation and equipment handling in cytogenetics and proteomics
Head of Department, Vice Principal,
Department of Oral & Maxillofacial Pathology & Microbiology,
Amrita School of Dentistry,
AIMS Health Sciences Campus, Kochi.
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