A pioneering saliva test, PRODICT, developed by researchers at The Institute of Cancer Research in London, could revolutionize prostate cancer screening and save the NHS £500 million annually. The at-home test analyzes DNA extracted from saliva to calculate a patient’s risk of developing prostate cancer, allowing for earlier diagnosis and more effective treatment.
PRODICT Test Details
The PRODICT test examines over 400 genetic variants associated with prostate cancer. Individuals identified as high-risk can then undergo further checks, leading to earlier diagnoses when treatment is more likely to be successful. The NHS is investing £2 million in a trial involving 1,000 men aged 40 to 55 to assess the test's efficacy. Previous studies have indicated that the saliva test is more accurate than the standard PSA test in predicting future prostate cancer risk among high-risk men.
Potential Impact on Healthcare
Health Secretary Wes Streeting hailed the test as a potential "holy grail" for healthcare, emphasizing its ability to identify cancer risk before the disease fully develops. Currently, around one in four prostate cancer cases in the UK are diagnosed at a later stage, necessitating more extensive and costly treatments, costing the NHS around £650 million per year. The PRODICT test could potentially identify up to 12,350 cases earlier each year, resulting in significant cost savings and improved patient outcomes.
Professor Ros Eeles, professor of oncogenetics at the ICR, stated that the PRODICT test could extend the lives of people diagnosed with prostate cancer and save the NHS a significant amount of money. She emphasized the need for a screening program that identifies men at risk of aggressive cancers while sparing those at lower risk from unnecessary treatments.
Expansion to Diverse Populations
Initially developed for men of European heritage, the saliva test has been expanded with more genetic data to ensure its applicability across diverse populations. Dr. Eeles noted that the success of the PRODICT test could pave the way for similar saliva tests for a range of diseases, identifying individuals who require further treatments by analyzing variants in their DNA.
Professor Peter Johnson, NHS England national clinical director for cancer, highlighted the importance of early detection and diagnosis in improving cancer survival rates. He noted that the UK Government’s Cancer Programme is investing in promising technologies to expand research in this field, accelerating the progress from laboratory to clinical testing.
