Goa, July 9 -- Researchers have developed a new non-invasive brush test that can detect oral cancer in as little as one hour, offering a faster and less painful alternative to conventional surgical biopsies. The breakthrough, led by scientists at Queen Mary University of London, could significantly improve early diagnosis while reducing the need for unnecessary invasive procedures.

The test uses a soft brush to collect surface cells from suspicious lesions inside the mouth instead of removing a tissue sample through surgery. Known as qMIDS-V3, the technique analyses molecular changes in the collected cells and delivers results within an hour.

In one of the largest studies of its kind, researchers examined more than 1,000 samples from 54...