The saliva breast cancer test is not a replacement for a mammogram.

On February 13, a number of media outlets announced the creation of a test that “with the help of a drop of saliva” can detect breast cancer in five minutes. The statement is based on the publication of a study in the journal Journal of Vacuum Science and Technology B, led by the University of Florida (USA) and National Taiwan University. According to this news, the new test will be a cheaper and less invasive alternative to mammography with the same accuracy.

However, experts ask to be wary of this work, which they consider a “pilot”. According to a statement from the Spanish Society of Medical Radiology (Seram), this test has only been tested on twenty people and does not detect breast cancer at an early stage. Thus, experts say that at the moment The only tool for early diagnosis of breast cancer is mammography.

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The test, which detects breast cancer through saliva, has only been tested on 21 people.

Miriam Montes, breast specialist at Seram, explains to Newtral.es that this is a pilot study involving 21 patients (four healthy and 17 cancer patients, whose characteristics or tumor burden are not specified). “That is, this is a pilot study and, as such, very limited,” he points out.

This new test detects two biological markers indicating the presence of breast cancer in the saliva of sick patients. “The fact that it can be detected in saliva, if this device proves its usefulness in more important clinical trials, will be a great achievement, since it is faster and less tedious than detecting it in blood,” points out the radiologist.

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However, he notes that the proteins he detects appear when there is already a high tumor burden. “These markers are currently measured in plasma once cancer has been diagnosed to determine whether there has been a recurrence or to monitor treatment,” he says.

Mammography is still necessary for early diagnosis

For this reason, Seram emphasizes to Newtral.es that this new test is useless for early diagnosis and cannot replace mammography. “Through Screening mammography can anticipate the diagnosis of breast cancer even several years in advance.thanks to the ability to detect it at a subclinical stage, when the tumor burden is low,” says Montes.

In addition, mammography not only detects a tumor, but also At the same time, it gives very precise information about its morphology.size, location, main aspects of planning medical and surgical treatment.

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The Spanish Society of Medical Oncology (SEOM) also spoke out about the “media impact” of news of the new saliva breast cancer test and also called it a “limited” achievement.

“It should be noted that the determination of tumor markers has not proven to be a valid strategy for breast cancer screening or diagnosis, and that this study was conducted on 17 patients (with cancer),” writes Cesar A. Rodriguez and Isabel Echavarria, President and Scientific Secretary of SEOM , V A country.

Thus, they urge caution in the face of “sensational” news that may have a negative impact on cancer patients by creating false expectations or even distancing them from diagnostic methods with strong scientific evidence, such as mammography.

Sources

Statements for Newtral.es Miriam Montes, breast specialist of the Spanish Society of Medical Radiology (SERAM)

SERAM Statement

The study was published in the Journal of Vacuum Science and Technology B.

SEOM Tribune in El Pais