Advances in Diagnostic Adjuncts for Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma

Oral cancer is the 8 th most common cancer in males and the 15 th most common in females in the United States. Each year, it affects approximately 22,000 Americans and results in approximately 5300 deaths. The five-year survival rate of oral cancer remains low (53% to 60%) for the past three decades and delayed diagnosis has been suggested to be one of the major reasons. The detection and diagnosis of oral cancer is currently based on clinical visual examination and histopathological evaluation of the biopsy material. In responding to the need for early detection of oral cancer, several diagnostic adjuncts have been developed over the years. The purpose of this article is to review the current knowledge about the commercially available diagnostic adjuncts as well as to review the research on the development of the promising tools for the early detection of oral cancer.