Saliva tests help detect cancer

By Corey Binns

Say 'a' : A new saliva test can detect cancer, gum disease and depletion.

The driver fell asleep

A simple saliva test can help police officers arrest tired drivers driving on the road. Sleep expert Paul Shaw and colleagues at Washington Medical University have discovered amilaza, an enzyme found in saliva, that is linked to sleepiness.

They observed that the rate of amylase was very high among volunteers who lacked sleep for more than 28 hours but those who slept at night had a normal rate. Shaw also said it took several years to identify markers in saliva needed to develop accurate experiments. Until then, the drowsy drivers are still causing about 100,000 accidents in the United States every year.

Goodbye needle

(Artwork: Popsci.com) Until 2001, doctors hoped that stainless test tubes would be used instead of current blood tests. Scientists are working on a $ 12 million human salivary protein system project, which discovered 1,166 proteins in saliva, including five types of oral cancer markers. They also found a number of specific markers among test patients with autoimmune breast cancer and Sjogren's disease. Scientists are working to determine the type of protein involved in ovarian cancer. Finding proteins through regular saliva testing can help doctors diagnose cancer early for treatment. That is not to mention that patients will not have to suffer the same pain as the injection.

Microchip dentist

Dental diseases can remain hidden in the mouth for many years without any symptoms, leading to gingivitis, decay and tooth decay. Now Sandia National Laboratory researchers have built a nail chip that can detect gum disease earlier than dentists. This automated system blends the patient's saliva with Flo antibodies. Antibodies will attach to the protein by carrying the disease. The more light-colored cells show high levels of protein, and mean disease. Researchers also expect the presence of chips at dentist offices over the next 6 years.