A portable spit test costing just $5 (£3.97) could detect breast cancer using a single drop of saliva, a study suggests.
Researchers in Florida and Taiwan developed a handheld, palm-sized device that detects cancer biomarkers such as genes and proteins in saliva in just five seconds.
The sensor uses common components such as glucose tests, which diabetics use to measure blood sugar levels, and cheap open-source hardware.
The researchers said the device could be a cheap alternative to invasive procedures such as mammograms and ultrasounds to detect breast cancer, which is becoming increasingly common in the US and Britain.
Hsiao-Hsuan Wan, author of the study and a PhD candidate at the University of Florida, said: ‘Imagine medical staff conducting breast cancer screening in communities or hospitals.’
Researchers in Florida and Taiwan have developed a wearable device that can detect breast cancer markers in five seconds using just a drop of saliva
The device uses glucose test strips and open-source hardware called Arduino. When a drop of saliva touches the test strip, which has been treated with antibodies, electrical signals are sent throughout the device. These are then translated into an electronic readout that shows how much breast cancer is detected
“Our device is an excellent choice because it is portable – about the size of your hand – and reusable.”
‘The test time is less than five seconds per sample, making it very efficient.’
In experiments, the researchers dipped paper glucose test strips into antibody solutions intended to interact with the proteins HER2 and CA 15-3, which cause breast cancer cells to develop and grow rapidly.
According to the American Cancer Society, one in five breast cancer patients is HER2 positive, including actress Angelina Jolie.
Additionally, experts estimate that up to 80 percent of breast cancer patients have elevated CA 15-3 levels.
The team then collected 17 human saliva samples from breast cancer patients and four from healthy volunteers.
The samples were divided into three groups: people without cancer, people with cancer that had not spread, and people with breast cancer that had spread beyond the primary site.
This graph shows the HER2 levels detected in healthy patients, as well as in patients with early and late stage breast cancer
In addition, this graph shows the levels of CA 15-3 detected in healthy patients, as well as in patients with early and late stage breast cancer.
The tests involved placing one drop of saliva on the test strip. Electrical pulses were then sent to contact points on the device, which was built with the open-source hardware Arduino.
The pulses then bound to the antibodies and changed the electrode’s charge, which was translated into a digital signal from cancer biomarkers on the device.
The experts said the tests could distinguish between which patients had breast cancer and which did not. And the results came in after about five seconds.
“The simplicity of operation and the potential for widespread public use in the future position this approach as a transformative tool in the early detection of breast cancer,” the researchers wrote.
“This research not only provides a crucial advance in diagnostic methodologies, but also holds the promise of revolutionizing public health practices.”
Dr. Wan said, “In many places, especially in developing countries, advanced technologies such as MRI for breast cancer testing may not be readily available.”
“Our technology is more cost-effective: the test strip costs just a few cents and the reusable circuit board costs $5.”
“Ultimately, we created a technique that has the potential to help people all over the world.”
However, it may take several years before the method is available to patients as it requires approval from regulatory agencies such as the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Medicines and Health Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA).
Furthermore, in Britain it will then need to be approved by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE), which will determine whether it is cost-effective and can be covered by the NHS.
Breast cancer is the most common cancer in the US, UK and the world.
Death rates have fallen sharply following successful public health awareness campaigns, better screening and new medicines.
However, cases of advanced forms of the disease have increased in recent years, due to a lack of testing during the pandemic.
The National Cancer Institute (NCI) estimates that there will be more than 300,000 new cases in the US this year, along with 43,700 deaths.
According to Cancer Research UK, there are around 56,000 cases of breast cancer every year, which equates to around 150 per day. This includes 11,500 deaths.
“The prevalence of breast cancer in women underlines the urgent need for innovative and efficient detection methods,” the researchers wrote.
According to the Mayo Clinic, signs of breast cancer include a lump that feels different from the surrounding tissue, a change in the shape or appearance of the breast, inverted nipple, peeling or flaking of the pigmented skin around the nipple, and redness or dimpling around the breast. nipple. skin of the breast.
Breast cancer is usually discovered with an X-ray, a so-called mammography.
This involves placing the breasts between metal plates to flatten them and obtain images from above and from the sides.
Currently, all women aged 50 to 74 in the US are advised to have a mammogram every two years. In Britain, women aged 50 to 71 are encouraged to have a mammogram every three years.
The research was published in the journal on Tuesday Journal of Vacuum Science and Technology B.