A new study suggests that a simple saliva test may be better at detecting prostate cancer risk than the current standard blood test, potentially offering men a more accurate and less invasive screening method.
Researchers from the UK collected saliva samples from about 6,400 men in their 50s and 60s to calculate their genetic risk of prostate cancer using a polygenic risk score.
Published in the New England Journal of Medicine, the study found that 40% of men identified as high risk by the spit test were diagnosed with prostate cancer after further screening.
In comparison, only 25% of men flagged by the traditional PSA (prostate-specific antigen) blood test were found to have cancer, showing that the saliva test could more effectively identify those who truly need further testing.
“This could help detect aggressive cancers earlier and reduce unnecessary procedures for those at lower risk,” said Professor Rosalind Eeles, co-author of the study and a cancer genetics expert at the Institute of Cancer Research.
The PSA blood test, commonly used today, measures protein levels that can suggest cancer but often results in false positives. These can lead to unnecessary scans, biopsies, and treatments — some of which may target low-risk cancers that never become dangerous.
The new saliva-based approach may provide a more reliable alternative, especially for men with symptoms or known risk factors such as age or family history.
Although the results are promising, researchers caution that it may take years before saliva testing becomes routine, due to the cost and logistics of rolling it out in healthcare systems. Still, experts like Professor Michael Inouye from the University of Cambridge, who was not involved in the study, believe the investment is likely worthwhile.
Future research will track men with high genetic risk scores to monitor their long-term outcomes and further assess the benefits of saliva-based screening.
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