New test can detect breast cancer before tumors develop

Dr. Kim Mulvihill reportingNew research on saliva reveals a potential new way to catch breast cancer early. Saliva is teeming with proteins, and researchers found the type and amount of certain proteins change with the onset of breast cancer.

Researchers at the University of Texas have found a protein marker in human saliva that could provide an early, non-invasive diagnosis of breast cancer. Dr. Leigh Neumayer, a breast cancer specialist at the Huntsman Cancer Institute, said, "What a great opportunity if this really pans out that we can, yes take a swab at home, send it in."

In the study, researchers analyzed saliva samples from 30 patients and found 49 proteins that separated healthy patients from those with benign breast tumors and those with cancers.

Researcher Charles Streckfus said, "We wouldn't say you have breast cancer. What we would say is, ‘You need to see your doctor.'"

Until there's a cure for breast cancer, early detection is our best defense. Today the gold standard is mammography. The researchers hope a saliva test might boost our potential for finding breast cancers early.

Neumayer says the technology holds tremendous promise. She says, "It's really exciting, very exciting. How many of us wouldn't sign up for that test? One thing we need is a better test to help us get patients into high risk, versus not so high risk."

Scientists are looking at salivary diagnostic tests for a variety of types of cancer breast, ovarian, endometrial, cervical, and head and neck cancers.

Dentist Stephen Laman said, "The expectation is to be able to catch the cancers so early that the treatment will be less invasive, and the survival rate will be much higher."

Who knows? One day, women may undergo a diagnostic screening at the dentist.