Cancer

New Saliva Test Shows Promise in Prostate Cancer Detection

APR 10 2025·Updated APR 12 2025

Story

Image credit: Wikimedia Commons

The Facts

According to a study published in the New England Journal of Medicine on Wednesday, a new at-home saliva test analyzing 130 genetic variants in men's DNA could more accurately predict prostate cancer risk than the current prostate-specific antigen (PSA) blood test.
Independent
BBC News
Among 6,142 European men aged 55-69 who participated in the trial, 40% of those with high genetic risk scores were diagnosed with prostate cancer, compared to only 25% typically found through PSA testing, with 55.1% of detected cancers being aggressive cases.
The New England Journal of Medicine
ICR
guardian
The test identified 74 cases of clinically significant prostate cancer that would have been missed by the current UK diagnostic pathway — which relies on PSA levels and MRI scans — potentially saving the NHS around £500 million annually.
ICR
Daily Mail
The New England Journal of Medicine
Of the 187 men diagnosed with cancer through the saliva test, 118 had PSA levels below 3.0 µg/L, which is considered normal and would typically not trigger further screening under current protocols.
The New England Journal of Medicine
Surrey Live
ITV News
The research team has developed an updated version of the test called PRODICT that includes additional genetic variants for men of Asian and African ancestry, who face a higher risk of prostate cancer.
ICR
BBC News
This comes a day after Health Secretary Wes Streeting said that he would like to see a national screening program for prostate cancer — if the decision was "evidence-based." The UK National Screening Committee is currently assessing the feasibility of broader screening implementation.
The Telegraph
Surrey Live

Sources Split

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The Spin

Narrative A

The new saliva test represents a significant breakthrough in prostate cancer detection. It offers a simple, non-invasive way to identify high-risk individuals early, potentially saving thousands of lives while reducing unnecessary treatments and their associated side effects.

ICR

Daily Mail

Narrative B

The evidence supporting a national screening program remains insufficient. Long-term studies are still needed to prove the test can save lives, as current screening methods could lead to overdiagnosis and unnecessary treatments that might cause more harm than good.

Surrey Live

Independent