Fluorescence spectroscopy for the detection of potentially malignant disorders and squamous cell carcinoma of the oral cavity

Abstract

Oral cancer is a public health problem with relevant incidence in the world pop-ulation. The affected patient usually presents advanced stage disease and the consequenceof this delay is a reduction in survival rates. Given this, it is essential to detect oral cancerat early stages. Fluorescence spectroscopy is a non-invasive diagnostic tool that can improvecancer detection in real time. It is a fast and accurate technique, relatively simple, whichevaluates the biochemical composition and structure using the tissue fluorescence spectrumas interrogation data. Several studies have positive data regarding the tools for differentiat-ing between normal mucosa and cancer, but the difference between cancer and potentiallymalignant disorders is not clear. The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of fluorescence spectroscopy in the dis-crimination of normal oral mucosa, oral cancer, and potentially malignant disorders.