Saliva Test for Lung Cancer (Article from Roxanne Nelson, BSN, RN)
A new "liquid biopsy" that can detect biomarkers of lung cancer in saliva is moving closer to becoming a reality. This noninvasive method is able to detect circulating tumor DNA in saliva and has the potential to dramatically cut waiting time for biopsy results, as well as reduce cost and inconvenience to patients. In a presentation given at the 2016 Annual Meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), David T. W. Wong, DMD, DMSc, Felix and Mildred Yip Endowed Professor and associate dean of research, School of Dentistry, University of California, Los Angeles, discussed a new prototype of the device, called electric field–induced release and measurement (EFIRM), that is able to detect biomarkers in saliva for non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). The device has a high degree of accuracy in comparison with current sequencing technology, according to Dr Wong, and can assist with clinical treatment decisions involving tyrosine kinase inhibit...