Researchers believe saliva testing could lead to early breast cancer detection

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(CTV Montreal) — Quebec researchers are part of an international study that shows a simple saliva test could help predict a woman’s risk for the disease – a potential breakthrough in cancer screening.

The study started years ago, involving hundreds of scientists across the world, according to Jacques Simard, study co-author and Canada Research Chair in Oncogenetics at Laval University.

The study aims to better understand the role of genetics in the risk of breast cancer.

Researchers pooled DNA samples – mostly saliva – to compare 94,000 women who had breast cancer to 75,000 who didn’t.

“The goal is really to have access to the DNA, and we can extract the DNA from the saliva,” Simard explained. “Then, using this information, it will be combined in a new risk-prediction model.” (…)

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