Using Saliva to Detect Systemic Cancer

Pancreatic Cancer May be Detected

UCLA Professor Dr. David Wong reports that pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma, the most common pancreatic cancer and the most deadly of all cancers, may be detected in its early stages by changes in molecular signatures.

"Do you suffer from badbreath?" 

By analyzing the altered gene expression, his team identified biomarkers in saliva that distinguish pancreatic cancer patients and non-cancer patients. He has also found breast, lung, gastric and ovarian cancers to have highly discriminatory salivary biomarkers.

The implications for furthering the understanding of the association between and systemic health are immense. Saliva collection is non-invasive, non-painful and non-embarrassing and is an ideal biofluid for diagnostis of the onset, progression and therapeutic responsiveness of oral and systemic disease. 

Robert G. Tupac, DDS, FACP, Inc., 
Diplomate, American Board of Prosthodontics
(661) 325-1275 | www.drtupac.com
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