Gross — but, looks like it’ll work!
Researchers say they are developing a simple spit
test to help diagnose early-stage lung cancer in current and former
smokers.
Researchers say they are developing a simple spit test to help diagnose early-stage lung cancer in current and former smokers. Reporting In The Journal Clinical Cancer Research the scientists said the gene probe would use the DNA coughed up with phlegm to detect the potentially fatal malignancy.
The team reported that its inexpensive test, which checks whether two tumor-suppressing genes are missing in sputum cells, identified 76 percent of stage I lung cancer patients, compared to 47 percent identified through current sputum “cytology” tests that seek changes in cell structure.
The next step is to expand the test to screen for up to eight genes, the scientists said. The trick is to find genes that specifically indicate cancer rather than cellular damage that occurs from smoking but does not necessarily portend malignancy, they said.
Hard not to sound trite; but — every step towards early detection is another step towards curing someone.
Posted: Mon - January 29, 2007 at 06:03 AM