DURHAM, N.C., U.S./BIRMINGHAM, U.K.: Cancers that occur in the back of the mouth or in the upper throat are difficult to spot and, as a result, are often diagnosed only when they are advanced. In an effort to improve early cancer detection, researchers have recently used acoustofluidics, a novel, noninvasive method that analyzes saliva for the presence of human papillomavirus (HPV)-16, the pathogenic strain linked with oropharyngeal cancers (OPC). The technique proved to be successful in detecting OPC in whole saliva in almost half of the patients tested and in the majority of confirmed OPC patients.
“OPC has an approximate incidence of 115,000 cases per year worldwide and is one of the fastest-rising cancers in Western countries due to increasing HPV-related incidence, especially in younger patients,” explained co-author Dr. Tony Jun Huang, William Bevan distinguished professor of mechanical engineering and mechanical science at Duke University in North Carolina.
“Considering these factors, the successful detection of HPV from salivary exosomes isolated by our acoustofluidic platform offers distinct advantages, including early detection, risk assessment, and screening,” Huang added. The technique may also be instrumental in helping physicians predict which patients will respond well to radiation therapy and in improving progression-free survival.
Exosomes are believed to play a role in intercellular communication and are associated with several types of cancers. In the study, the researchers analyzed saliva samples from ten HPV-positive OPC patients using a tiny acoustofluidic chip developed to isolate salivary exosomes. They removed the unwanted particles based on their size, leaving exosome-rich concentrated samples that helped detect tumor-specific biomarkers. The technique identified the tumor biomarker HPV-16 DNA in 80% of the cases when coupled with droplet digital polymerase chain reaction.
“The acoustofluidic separation technique provides a fast, biocompatible, high-yield, high-purity, label-free method for exosome isolation from saliva,” said co-author Prof. David T.W. Wong, associate dean for research and director of the Center for Oral/Head and Neck Oncology Research at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). The researchers believe that the technology can also be used to analyze other biofluids, including blood, urine, and plasma.
“With these features, the acoustofluidic technology has the potential to significantly exceed current industry standards, address unmet needs in the field, help expedite exosome-related biomedical research, and aid in the discovery of new exosomal biomarkers,” Huang commented.
The study is an international collaboration between Duke University, UCLA and the University of Birmingham. “The results are a testament to the power of interdisciplinary research and international collaboration,” said Prof. Hisham Mehanna, director of the Institute of Head and Neck Studies and Education at the University of Birmingham.
The study, titled “Acoustofluidic salivary exosome isolation: A liquid biopsy compatible approach for human papillomavirus-associated oropharyngeal cancer detection,” was published online on Dec. 13, 2019, in the Journal of Molecular Diagnostics, ahead of inclusion in an issue.
Tags:
LONDON, UK: Seeking to improve oral cancer detection and treatment, researchers from Queen Mary University of London have developed the first polymerase ...
LONDON – Researchers from Queen Mary, University of London, have developed a new gene test that detects precancerous cells in patients with mouth ...
LIVERPOOL – Owing to the absence of a uniform testing standard within the NHS, researchers have analysed a new test developed to classify ...
LONDON, UK: General awareness of mouth cancer in the UK remains dangerously low, despite more than 7,500 people being diagnosed with mouth cancer annually. ...
RUGBY, UK: In summer, people around the world poured a bucket of ice-cold water over their heads as part of a campaign initiated by the ALS (amyotrophic ...
BRISTOL, UK: Researchers at the University of Bristol have developed a new technology that could increase protection against anti-bacterial and anti-fungal ...
LONDON, UK: The Oral Health Foundation has called on dental and health professionals to raise awareness of mouth, or oral, cancer and communicate the ...
RUGBY, UK: Exposure to smoke, regular consumption of processed foods, time in the sun and the consumption of alcohol as part of one’s job could ...
EDINBURGH, UK: A novel system developed in Scotland for immediate measuring of demineralisation of teeth could soon make its way abroad, as the developer ...
With oral cancer rates continuing to increase worldwide, it has become clear that more needs to be done to raise awareness and combat this issue. Dental ...
Live webinar
Fri. 19 July 2024
1:00 am UTC (London)
Live webinar
Tue. 6 August 2024
11:00 pm UTC (London)
Live webinar
Wed. 14 August 2024
12:00 am UTC (London)
Live webinar
Wed. 21 August 2024
2:00 pm UTC (London)
Dr. Jim Lai DMD, MSc(Perio), EdD, FRCD(C)
Live webinar
Thu. 29 August 2024
1:00 am UTC (London)
Live webinar
Mon. 2 September 2024
10:00 am UTC (London)
Live webinar
Tue. 3 September 2024
4:00 pm UTC (London)
To post a reply please login or register