Rapid Brush Biopsy Test Detects Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma Within One Hour

Researchers have validated a non-invasive brush biopsy test capable of detecting oral cancer (oral squamous cell carcinoma, OSCC) within one hour. Published in the Nature journal *Biomarker Research* by a team led by Queen Mary University of London, this test could significantly improve early diagnosis, potentially preventing over 90% of unnecessary and painful scalpel biopsies. The study, the largest of its kind, involved over 1000 samples from 545 patients and demonstrated that the brush swab test's performance is highly comparable to a microbiopsy, indicating strong and consistent biological signals from superficial exfoliated cells.