Early research suggests that at-home saliva tests are more effective than standard blood tests for identifying men at high genetic risk of developing aggressive prostate cancer. The preliminary findings were presented at the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) annual meeting in Chicago.
The study, conducted by researchers at The Institute of Cancer Research, London, and The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust, highlights the saliva test’s greater accuracy in detecting genetic variants linked to prostate cancer. This test aims to offer a more efficient screening tool for a disease that claims around 12,000 lives annually in the UK.
The BARCODE 1 study involved 6,142 European men aged 55-69 from their GP surgeries, determined as having an increased risk of prostate cancer. Researchers calculated each participant's polygenic risk score based on 130 genetic variations in the DNA code associated with prostate cancer. Those with the highest risk scores, totaling 558 men, underwent further screening.
Results indicated that the saliva test produced fewer false positives and identified a higher proportion of aggressive cancers compared to the PSA blood test. Following an MRI scan and biopsy, 40% of men with high scores from the saliva test were diagnosed with prostate cancer, compared to 25% in PSA tests. The PSA test often produces false positives, leading to unnecessary treatments and missing urgent cases.
Professor Kristian Helin of the ICR emphasized the need for an improved test to diagnose prostate cancer early, especially as cases are expected to double by 2040. The research suggests that genetic testing could be pivotal in saving lives. Naser Turabi of Cancer Research UK added that more research is needed to confirm the tool's life-saving potential and facilitate its widespread implementation.
Katie Willis, co-founder of the Bob Willis Fund, which supported the research, and Dheeresh, a participant diagnosed through the trial, both underscored the study's positive impact on early diagnosis and treatment of prostate cancer.