A Saliva Test Can Detect Prostate Cancer, Scientists Claimed

A Saliva test is better than a blood test for detecting Prostate Cancer, claimed by UK Scientists. The test detects 130 DNA mutants, which predicts a high risk for prostate cancer, which is the second most common cause of cancer deaths in men in the UK. A Saliva test analyses men’s DNA to determine who is mainly prone to cancer, and then such people are targeted for prostate biopsies and an MRI scan.

Prostate cancer is a type of cancer that develops in the prostate gland, a small gland in the male reproductive system that produces fluid for semen.

Around 12000 men died from Prostate Cancer in the UK. They have also started routine testing, but it has been rejected for some reason. This saliva test isn’t designed to detect prostate cancer symptoms already present in the body. Rather, it identifies 130 genetic mutations linked to a higher likelihood of developing the disease. In a study published in the New England Journal of Medicine, researchers examined 745 men considered at elevated risk for prostate cancer. Of those, 468 opted to undergo the additional testing. The results revealed 187 cases of prostate cancer—74 of which would have gone undetected at this stage using current standard testing methods.

With this Saliva Test, we can reverse the number by identifying the men at risk of the severe stage of cancer who need further testing, and spare those who are at lower risk from unnecessary treatment.