A Rapid PCR Test for Early Cancer Diagnosis
A novel qPCR-based diagnostic test for detecting oral cancer risk and predicting patient prognosis. qMIDSv2 is low cost, rapid, and minimally invasive. It requires only 1mm3 of biopsy material and is applicable to multiple cancer types.
Current diagnosis involves scalpel surgery to obtain a large 5-20mm biopsy, which is analysed by an oral pathologist for cellular abnormalities – a subjective process that is unable to differentiate between low risk and high risk.
If not diagnosed early, the five-year survival rate for drops from nearly 90% down to just 50%. As such, identifying high-risk oral premalignant disorders before they progress to malignancy would encourage earlier treatment interventions, significantly improving survival rates and preventing unnecessary overtreatment.
A patent claiming the use of qMIDSv2 for cancer diagnosis has been filed and we are seeking partners interested in licensing this technology for commercial development.
Contact
Dr Mark Gurden – m.gurden@qmul.ac.uk
