The Institute of Cancer Research’s saliva test could predict men’s chances of prostate cancer

A saliva test is being trialled to predict men’s chances of developing prostate cancer.

Led by researchers at The Institute of Cancer Research, London, a trial is looking at whether the test can speed up prostate cancer diagnoses and save the NHS money.

The test calculates the risk of prostate cancer from DNA extracted from saliva — called a genetic risk score.

GPs will offer the test to their patients, and those identified as higher risk will be offered prostate cancer checks.

The £2 million ($AUD 3.8 million) study, funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research Invention for Innovation Early Cancer Diagnosis Clinical Validation and Evaluation, aims to pick up more people with prostate cancer at an earlier stage – when it’s more treatable.

The team estimates the saliva test could identify up to 12,350 people earlier, saving the NHS around £500 million ($AUD 968 million) a year.

Recent research from the same team showed a simple saliva test was more accurate at identifying future risk of prostate cancer for men at higher risk than the current standard blood test.

Now, they have developed an updated version of the test, called PRODICT, which looks for more than 400 genetic variants that indicate cancer than the original test.

The study aims to recruit 1,000 men from diverse ethnic groups, aged between 40 and 55 years. Professor Ros Eeles, of the ICR and consultant at The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust, said: “With our simple to collect, at-home, spit test, we hope not only to extend the lives of people diagnosed with prostate cancer, but also to save the NHS a significant amount of money.”