AT-HOME TEST TO "TURN TIDE PROSTATE ON CANCER"

A PIONEERING at-home test is set to "turn the tide on prostate cancer", saving thousands of lives each year.

- Hanna Geissler

The simple saliva check searches for markers in patients' DNA to identify those at highest risk, experts say.

Men who are flagged can then be sent for further investigation, allowing for earlier diagnosis when treatment is more likely to be successful.

A landmark study found the genetic test was more effective at detecting cancer than the current blood test offered by GPs. If further research confirms this, it could be rolled out to screen patients who have symptoms or who are considered to be at high risk due to their age or ethnicity.

The trial was led by Professor Ros Eeles, an expert in oncogenetics at The Institute of Cancer Research in London and consultant at The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust.

Presenting the findings at the American Society of Clinical Oncology’s annual conference in Chicago, she said: “With this test, it could be possible to turn the tide on prostate cancer. We have shown that a simple, cheap, spit test to identify men at higher risk due to their genetic make-up is an effective tool to catch the cancer early.

“Building on decades of research into the genetic markers of prostate cancer, our study shows that the theory does work in practice.

“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.”