Friday, January 4th, 2008
Towards a Saliva Test for Cancers?
A swish of mouthwash could be more than a route to minty fresh breath. Researchers are working to develop a test that could detect the presence of certain cancers based on compounds found in saliva samples. The proposed test would key in on hypermethylated genes, chemically modified pieces of DNA that can be found in the presence of some cancers of the head and neck. The scientists involved have found that by looking at the cellular debris found in a sample of saliva from patients with cancer, it was possible to detect cancer about 42 percent of cases. The researchers were able to use their test to rule out cancer in almost 82 percent of healthy patients. In this segment, Ira talks with one of the researchers involved with the project about its potential for cancer screening.
Guests
Joseph Califano
Associate Professor
Department of Otolaryngology-Head
and Neck Surgery
Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions
Baltimore, Maryland
Related Links
- Telegraph.co.uk: Saliva may reveal signs of tumours in mouth
- MedPage Today: Gargling Could Help Detect Cancer
- Journal article: Clinical Cancer Research 14, 97-107, January 1, 2008.
Segment produced by:Molly Webster
Listen:
Friday, January 4th, 2008
-
NPR News Special: Iowa Caucus Recap
- Towards a Saliva Test for Cancers?
-
Michael Pollan - In Defense of Food
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Cancer Update with Robert Weinberg
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