A SIMPLE spit test for prostate cancer is better than current NHS checks for the disease, a new study reveals.
It could also spare blokes unnecessary GP visits and awkward exams.
Scientists at the Institute of Cancer Research and The Royal Marsden Hospital in London saidcould catch more aggressive tumours and lead to fewer false alarms than the, which is currently used.
is now the most commonly diagnosed form of the disease in England, after raised awareness by speaking out about
Around 55,000 cases are detected each year in the UK, and around 12,000 men lose their lives annually, according to Cancer Research UK.
remains the most common cancer in the UK, with almost 57,000 cases per year.
Professor Ros Eeles at the ICR said: “With this test, it could be possible to turn the tide on prostate cancer.”;
The team estimated it could help identify up to 12,350 people earlier, saving the NHS around £500million a year.
Men simply spit into a tube at home and send the sample off for lab analysis.
Their DNA is checked for high-risk genes linked to prostate cancer, which affects 52,000 men each year.
Currently, , which measures prostate-specific antigen in the blood.
High levels can indicate cancer, but they can also be raised for other innocuous reasons like riding a bike.
This is why routine PSA testing is not offered on the NHS, but men over 50 can request one from their GP.
It comes as health officials consider whether or not to recommend a new national screening programme for prostate cancer.
Currently, the NHS screens for , and cancers.
Critics argue that PSA testing often flags cancers that don’t require treatment.
But the new saliva test could complement PSA testing, by identifying more aggressive tumours and giving fewer false positives, scientists say.
Researchers trialled the test on 6,300 men aged 55 to 69 in a study called Barcode 1.
Of these, 745 were deemed high-risk, and 468 had further screening.
Among the 187 diagnosed with prostate cancer, 118 had “normal” PSA levels, this means 74 would have been missed under current NHS guidelines.
The study, published in the New England Journal of Medicine, showed the spit test was more accurate than PSA or MRI scans at identifying dangerous cancers.
A separate trial is now comparing the saliva test directly to PSA and MRI.
Professor Kristian Helin from the ICR said: “The current PSA test often leads to unnecessary treatments and, more concerningly, fails to detect some cancers.
“There is an urgent need for a better screening test.
“This research represents a promising advancement towards that goal and underscores the life-saving potential of genetic testing.”;
Naser Turabi, from Cancer Research UK, added: “Right now, there’s no reliable method to detect aggressive prostate cancer, but this study brings us a step closer to finding the disease sooner in those people who need treatment.”;
Men over 50, black men and those who are overweight are at higher risk of of which include weak urine flow.
The disease develops in causing problems with urination and sex.
Survival rates are high, with 80 per cent living 10 years or more after diagnosis, but treatment can have harsh side effects if caught too late.
