Saliva could hold clue to cancer cure

LONDON - Scientists have developed a revolutionary saliva test that could hold the clue to a cure for cancer.

According to the researchers, the test could be used for widespread early screening even before symptoms show, potentially saving millions of lives.

“The ability to implement safe, cost-effective, widespread screening could be the answer to saving thousands of lives each year and that is what we are after. Our objective is to revolutionise the diagnosis and treatment of cancer in the future,” the Daily Express quoted lead author David Wong, professor of dentistry at the University of California, as saying.

The researchers have discovered ‘molecular signatures’ for pancreatic, breast, oral and lung cancer in saliva.

He hopes tests will become widely available within three years.

The discovery of links between human saliva and early stage pancreatic cancer was hailed as a major breakthrough in the Gastroenterology journal. (ANI)