Saliva Used to Detect Cancer

The University of Texas Health Science Center has for quite some time been involved in cancer research. Their latest discovery just might be life changing for thousands of people around the world who are confronted with the issue of breast cancer. By analyzing saliva, they believe they can detect the presence of cancer.

Saliva is a very sensitive mixture produced by our bodies, and the slightest changes we experience can alter our saliva's composition. Changes in saliva proteins can be even more noticeable than those in our blood. The three lead researchers of this study, Charles Streckfus, William Dubinsky, and Lenora Bigler, hypothesized that saliva could be used to detect cancer, and they were correct. Their study included 30 women. Ten women were healthy, ten women had benign breast cancer, and ten had malignant tumors. The study discovered 49 proteins that could be used to indicate the presence of cancer in the people they studied.

What makes this such an exciting scientific discovery is how practical and inexpensive a test like this would be. "I see this as a future public health service by dentists," said Streckfus. Analyzing the saliva would be a very simple, cheap procedure. Although this test would not replace traditional testing practices such as mammograms, it would be much more practical. The test could not be used to tell the exact location of cancer, only to show that it is present, or not present, somewhere. As of now, there isn't even a blood test for breast cancer. If validated and confirmed to be successful, this study could be an extremely important discovery.

The study is still in testing phase, and shouldn't be expected to become a common practice extremely soon. More testing and studies are needed to confirm and validate their findings. However, Streckfus expects to be prepared to seek government approval within five years to begin using the test commercially.