Optical screening of oral cancer: technology for emerging markets.

Oral cancer is the sixth most common cancer in the world. It is one of the most prevalent cancers in the developing countries of South Asia accounting for one third of the world burden. Sixty percent of the cancers are advanced by the time they are detected. Two methods of optical spectroscopy for detection of oral cancer have been discussed here. These methods are simple, easy to handle and non-invasive. The evaluation of the data is done automatically using pattern recognition techniques, making the screening subjective.