Saliva test could soon detect cancer, diabetes & heart disease

By Mariam Digges

Saliva test could soon detect cancer, diabetes & heart disease
Life-threatening illnesses and diseases such as cancer could soon be diagnosed by a simple saliva test, according to experts.

Until now, the process of diagnosing diabetes, cancer, and heart disease has been a lengthy and costly one. But within the next decade, a preliminary saliva swab could save patients time and money.

“An early diagnosis has significant implications for both patients and healthcare,” said Research leader Professor Björn Klinge, of Malmo University in Sweden.

“Instead of having to visit the doctor, patients will be able to swab the inside of their mouth with a cotton bud and send it away for analysis.

“If the test shows signs of illness, the patient will be called in to a doctor.”

Researchers claim that the new discovery could potentially revolutionise how heart disease, diabetes and cancers are detected, paving the way for earlier diagnoses and treatment.

According to the Swedish research team, illnesses that cause inflammation, such diabetes, heart disease and cancer, leave telltale traces in spit. But natural processes in the body currently make it difficult to judge what stage a disease may be at.

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