Cancer Research Malaysia deploys MeMoSA to extend oral cancer screening beyond clinics

KUALA LUMPUR, 21 SEPTEMBER 2026 —

Cancer Research Malaysia has deployed a digital platform that lets trained volunteers screen for oral cancer in remote areas using a smartphone app and remote specialist review, chief executive Andy Khoo said.

Trained personnel or healthcare volunteers follow guided protocols on a mobile application to photograph the oral cavity, and an AI component checks image quality in real time before the photos are transmitted securely to qualified dental professionals for assessment, the organisation said.

MeMoSA® functions as a screening support tool rather than a diagnostic system, identifying individuals who may require further medical evaluation, Cancer Research Malaysia said. The clinician-in-the-loop model keeps clinical judgement central to decision-making while using technology to address scale and geography, the organisation added.

The system is built on a dataset of more than 30,000 clinically annotated oral mucosa images collected across five countries using mobile-device cameras, according to Cancer Research Malaysia. Each image was labelled with lesion classifications and corresponding diagnoses, then verified retrospectively through biopsy or consensus validation by dental experts, the organisation said.

The ethnically diverse dataset trains and benchmarks AI models to recognise patterns associated with oral lesions while refining the image-capture guidance given to field users, the organisation said.

Development began in 2017 and has undergone multiple iterations, Cancer Research Malaysia said. The organisation does not maintain an internal software team and contracted a vendor to build the application, though it defined all user requirements, features and design elements, the organisation said. The platform complies with Malaysia's Personal Data Protection Act and has undergone penetration testing to safeguard patient information, the organisation said.

Deployment has proceeded through partnerships with public institutions, non-governmental organisations and corporate entities, according to Cancer Research Malaysia. Community outreach programmes such as Senyum Sihat and workplace initiatives such as Smile & Screen have used the platform in settings where transport is scarce and dental clinics are hours away, the organisation said.

A smartphone, guided imaging protocol and remote specialist review can support earlier referral and intervention for people who would otherwise have limited access to screening, the organisation said.

Oral cancer remains a public health concern in regions where early detection is hindered by limited access to dental professionals, Cancer Research Malaysia said. Traditional screening requires physical clinic visits, a barrier that delays diagnosis and reduces treatment success rates, the organisation said. By shifting part of the screening process to trained volunteers with mobile devices, MeMoSA extends the reach of specialist oversight without requiring specialists to be physically present, the organisation said.

Dr Shamini Rajamanikam, senior marketing communications executive at Cancer Research Malaysia, said the platform shows how digital tools can bridge longstanding gaps in healthcare delivery and make early oral cancer screening more accessible beyond conventional clinical settings.