Researchers say they are developing a simple spit test to help diagnose early-stage lung cancer in current and former smokers. Reporting In The Journal Clinical Cancer Research the scientists said the gene probe would use the DNA coughed up with phlegm to detect the potentially fatal malignancy.
The team reported that its inexpensive test, which checks whether two tumor-suppressing genes are missing in sputum cells, identified 76 percent of stage I lung cancer patients, compared to 47 percent identified through current sputum “cytology” tests that seek changes in cell structure.
The next step is to expand the test to screen for up to eight genes, the scientists said. The trick is to find genes that specifically indicate cancer rather than cellular damage that occurs from smoking but does not necessarily portend malignancy, they said.
Hard not to sound trite; but — every step towards early detection is another step towards curing someone.
Adds new meaning to “turn and cough, please.”
Nice picture.
Funny thing is, that actor (William Davis) quit smoking long before he appeared in the X-Files. He smoked “herbal cigarettes” for the camera. I wonder the health effects of those are?
CSM for President
The way I see it, there are 3 cures for smoking:
Death
Quitting
Not starting in the first place
Have you ever wondered why somebody hasn’t proposed banning tobacco, just like Prohibition? 2 reasons: slave-owner-descendant tobacco farmers in the southern states of the USA, and…
Tobacco sales contribute a LOT of money to the economy.
Legalize the weed, mon.
Coughed up phlegm makes a good salad dressing.
FINALLY!!!! A use for that lung butter that I’ve been coughing up.
Early stage detection is usually much easier to treat. Besides, if the test is simple and cheap then maybe more people will get it done.