It analyses men’s DNA to work out who was born with the greatest risk of developing the disease.
A new saliva test could revolutionize prostate cancer detection by analyzing DNA to identify men at highest risk, UK scientists claim. The test checks for 130 genetic mutations linked to the disease, targeting high-risk individuals for biopsies and MRI scans. In a study of men aged 55-69, the method detected 103 aggressive tumours—74 of which would have been missed by standard PSA blood tests.
Prof Ros Eeles from the Institute of Cancer Research said: “We can identify men at risk of aggressive cancers who need further tests and spare the men who are at lower risk from unnecessary treatments.” The findings, published in the New England Journal of Medicine, suggest the test could improve early detection while reducing overdiagnosis.
However, experts caution it may take years before the test is widely available, as further research is needed to confirm whether it saves lives. Prostate cancer kills 12,000 UK men annually, prompting calls for better screening since Olympian Chris Hoy revealed his terminal diagnosis.
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