ROLE OF AUTOFLUORESCENCE SPECTROSCOPY IN THE DETECTION OF POTENTIALLY MALIGNANT DISORDERS AND ORAL CANCER AT AN EARLY STAGE. A SYSTEMATIC REVIEW

Aim this review is to highlight the autofluorescence spectroscopy features encountered in oral cancer and to outline the role of autofluorescence spectroscopy for diagnosis this cancer. Material and Methods: The systematic review included articles from Google Scholar, Medline, Scopus, Web Of Sciences, PubMed was conducted. For Search the following keywords: oral mucosa and fluorophores, VELscope; autofluorescence; oral potentially malignant disorders; oral epithelial dysplasia, oral cancer, tissue autofluorescence, diagnosing and/or treatment of oral cancer in humans. Results: Conducted a preliminary search and reviewed 132 titles and abstracts in this review and 52 full-text articles were selected of high methodological quality. Delayed diagnosis is a major contributor to the dismal oral cancer survival rate over five years. Early recognition and diagnosis can improve patient survival and reduce morbidity. The current systematic review demonstrated, based on the observed features, this method allows for differential diagnosis of malignant and benign, as well as diagnosis of tumors at the earliest stage of their development. Conclusion: The introduction of autofluorescence spectroscopy into dental practice as an additional method of visualizing pathological changes in the oral cavity is not only relevant, but also necessary for conducting oncological screening and showing oncological alertness.