A DIY at-home spit kit might have revolutionized the testing process for prostate cancer forever. A new study revealed that the DIY kit is more reliable than the current testing methods. It also detailed how it could lead to fewer false alarms compared to the blood test method.
Several pioneers in the field have spoken in favor of the new testing method. Scientists at the Institute of Cancer Research and The Royal Marsden Hospital in London have said the DIY kit could help detect more aggressive tumors than the PSA blood test. This would directly result in fewer false alarms than the those caused by the blood test right now.
The test can simply be taken at home, it requires the man to spit in a tube of which is then sent to a lab. The DNA in the spit is checked for potential high-risk genes related to the cancer. Professor Ros Eeles, who teaches at ICR, noted how this new test could help to “turn the tide” on prostate cancer.
6,300 men were tested using the at-home kit to test its reliability. The group of men was aged between 55 to 69. 745 out of the group were labelled as high-risk, and 468 were sent to further screening.
The study, published in the New England Journal of Medicine, stated that the spit test proved to be more reliable than the current PSA blood test or even an MRI. With the help of the at-home kit, approximately 12,350 men can be diagnosed with the disease sooner. Just that happening will save the NHS £ 500 million.
A saliva test that analyses men’s DNA to work out who was born with the greatest risk of developing prostate cancer may help “turn the tide”.
On #BBCBreakfast Naga looked at the new research from UK scientistshttps://t.co/kqPJaNekhj pic.twitter.com/4bBjDDrUYW
— BBC Breakfast (@BBCBreakfast) April 10, 2025
As reported by The Sun, ICR professor Kristian Helin criticized the PSA testing method while explaining its drawbacks. “The current PSA test often leads to unnecessary treatments and, more concerningly, fails to detect some cancers,” Helin noted. She also added that there was an “urgent need” for a better way to test for the type of cancer.
Studies reveal that prostate cancer has become the most common type of cancer in England. 55,000 men are diagnosed with the disease every year. Cancer Research UK shared that 12,000 men lose their lives while trying to battle the disease every year.
Prostate cancer is the most common cancer in men in the UK, making up around 28% of all new cancer diagnoses.
NIHR research found MRI prior to biopsy can be included in the diagnostic pathway for prostate cancer, by identifying those at low risk of who can safely forgo prostate… pic.twitter.com/QKXLxhhq7y
— National Institute for Health and Care Research (@NIHRresearch) April 3, 2025
The PSA blood test has multiple setbacks that often lead to a misdiagnosis. The test relies on picking up on the prostate-specific antigen in a blood sample. A patient is diagnosed with prostate cancer if the levels of the antigen are high in the blood sample.
The only drawback is that a high level of the specific antigen can be caused due to several reasons. One of them is doing something as simple as riding a bike. The new saliva test could just be a more reliable way to detect prostate cancer that medical professionals have been hoping for.
