Microbots: Transforming the treatment of oral cancer

Abstract

Oral cancer incidence and mortality are high in India, Papua New Guinea, Taiwan, China, Eastern Europe, France, and parts of South America, where alcohol consumption and tobacco smoking are prevalent. Current oral cancer therapeutic techniques face limitations due to their inability to effectively target complex tumor locations and the associated adverse side effects. Microbots, tiny robots on a micrometre scale, offer a promising solution to these challenges. Microbots are constructed from biocompatible materials; these microbots can navigate the intricate mouth cavity and access deep tissues. Various agents, including fluorescent dyes for targeted tumor diagnosis, contrast agents for enhanced visualization in CT and MRI scans, and medicinal drugs, can equip them. The potential of microbots lies in their ability to specifically aggregate at tumor sites, which improves the efficacy of diagnostic agents and leads to more precise detection of oral cancer. Despite these difficulties, microbots provide a ground-breaking method for identifying oral cancer. Their ability to deliver diagnostic chemicals directly to the tumor site with minimal invasiveness has enormous potential for improving early identification and, eventually, patient outcomes. Large-scale clinical trials are required to demonstrate the safety and effectiveness of microbot assisted oral cancer diagnosis in humans. Further research is also necessary to create precise control mechanisms for microbot navigation within the mouth and optimal tumor site targeting.