Sir, the World Health Organisation (WHO) ranks oral cancer as the 13th most common cancer worldwide, with the global incidence of cancers of the lip and oral cavity estimated to be 377,713 new cases and 177,757 deaths in 2020. Unfortunately, due to lack of access to preventive and early detection programmers, most oral cancer patients present at advanced stages with poor prognosis.1

Working as dental clinicians in both rural and urban India, we have witnessed the apprehension of patients towards oral cancer screening. Though the gold standard for oral cancer detection remains methods like tissue biopsy, the invasive nature coupled with cost, lack of motivation, and fear of treatment contribute to patient hesitation.2 However, exciting research gained our attention that offers a sweet solution to this problem and has won a grant of £350,000 from Cancer Research UK and the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC). This research offers a solution for early detection of oral cancer in the form of a diagnostic lollipop. It was developed by Dr Ruchi Gupta (Associate Professor of Biosensors School of Biochemistry, University of Birmingham) as an innovative lollipop utilising ‘Smart Hydrogel' designed to capture protein in saliva by concentrating it and labelling it using a fluorescent marker, Fluorescein Isothiocyanate (FITC) attached to hydrogel by a photocleavable bond that on exposure to light releases protein from fluorescein.3

This innovative tool seems promising as it enables the researcher to detect even the low abundance protein, which potentially indicates the presence of early-stage oral squamous cell carcinoma. It could revolutionise oral cancer screening as it is painless, non-invasive, simple, and self-administered. Although initial research on the ‘Lollipop' diagnostic tool is promising, further development is needed to optimise its widespread use. Currently, it requires 12 hours of immersion in the sample to capture the protein, but ongoing research aims to reduce this to under ten minutes.4 By supporting further research and development to address current limitations, we can unlock the full potential of this novel tool. With a more accessible and patient-friendly approach, the lollipop diagnostic can play a significant role in tilting the statistics towards early detection. This will ultimately lead to a reduction in complications associated with oral cancer and a brighter outlook for patients.