Saliva test can spot men with six times the risk of prostate cancer

Results of a study of more than 140,000 men, published yesterday in the journal Nature Genetics, identified 63 new genetic variants in the DNA code which will increase the chance of

developing prostate cancer. They found that one per cent of men are six times more at risk than the average. Prostate cancer is the most common cancer in men, with some 47,000 cases

diagnosed in the UK each year. About one in eight men in Britain will develop it at some point in their lifetime. Scientists at the Institute of Cancer Research, London, (ICR) developed the

test to unearth genetic variants that were particularly hard to find. They plan to trial the DNA test on saliva samples taken in GP surgeries to assess whether advice or preventative

treatment could reduce cases of prostate cancer among men with the highest inherited risk. Scientists say that they can now account for almost 30 per cent of a man’s inherited risk of

prostate cancer – which may be enough to to try to prevent the disease. Professor Ros Eeles, of the ICR, said: “By looking at the DNA code of tens of thousands of men in more depth than ever

before, we have uncovered vital new information about genetic factors that can predispose someone to prostate cancer. “If we can tell from testing DNA how likely it is that a man will

develop prostate cancer, the next step is to see if we can use that information to help prevent the disease.” ICR Chief Executive Professor Paul Workman added: “This new research is another

big step forward that tells us more about why some men develop the disease and others don’t. “We are on the cusp of explaining how genetics affects prostate cancer risk, to testing for

genetic risk and attempting to prevent the disease.”