Pioneering method detects oral cancer earlier

Researchers from the Faculty of Dentistry at the University of Otago, New Zealand combined atomic force microscopy (AFM) with artificial intelligence (AI) to detect changes in cancer cells at a very small scale.

Senior author Associate Prof. Peter Mei says the method is a substantial advancement in cancer diagnostics: “Combining the two technologies enabled us to detect nanoscale changes on the surface of cancer cells that may not be visible using traditional methods.

“This enhances the accuracy and reliability of cancer diagnosis, potentially enabling earlier detection, which is critical for improving patient treatment outcomes and advancing precision medicine”.

For the study, published in ACS Nano, the researchers were driven by the need to find better, more reliable ways to detect cancer.

Lead author Dr Simon Guan hopes to see more widespread use of this diagnostic method, which could become a key tool for doctors in the future: “We would like to see efforts to make AFM technology more suitable for routine clinical testing. We hope it will lead to quicker, more accurate cancer diagnoses, for a variety of cancers, and better treatment options for patients”.

Associate Prof. Mei says the study highlights the importance of innovation and collaboration across different fields, including dentistry, nanoscience, and AI: “Bringing together expertise from various disciplines can lead to groundbreaking discoveries that can improve health outcomes for people worldwide. This research shows how innovation in science can lead to better healthcare, particularly for detecting and treating cancer more effectively”.

From: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/04/250414124831.htm