Brit scientists develop new test for throat cancer which could help doctors spot the disease much earlier
The test involves checking the genetic make-up of cells in the throat
British scientists have developed a new test for throat cancer.
It could help doctors spot the disease much earlier.
The test involves checking the genetic make-up of cells in the throat.
This gives clues as to whether the cells are likely to mutate into cancer or stay healthy.
It follows the discovery by experts at Queen Mary University of London that some cells in the throat are 'born to be bad', while others are programmed to remain harmless.
Throat cancer strikes nearly 9,000 Brits a year - up 43 per cent since the seventies.
It mostly affects men and while smoking is the biggest risk factor, excess booze and fatty diets also increase the risks.
Poor diets in recent years are thought to have triggered the rise in cases.
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Around 1.5m Brits are thought to be at risk because they have a condition called Barrett's Oesophagus.
This is where cells in the throat are damaged by severe heartburn, increasing the risk of cancer.
Sufferers have to under go regular probes, using a camera through the mouth, to check for signs of cancer.
But the new test could do away with these.
Scientists tracked 300 Barrett's patients for three years, analysing 50,000 cells in the process.
They found the genetic make-up of cells allowed them to predict if they will become cancerous or not.
Doctors could use it to identify which patients are most at risk of a tumour, sparing unnecessary tests in those at low risk.
Researcher Dr Trevor Graham said: "This test will dramatically improve the quality of life for people with Barrett's.
"Our findings are important because they imply that a person's risk of developing throat cancer is fixed over time.
"In other words, we can predict from the outset which Barrett's patients fall into a high risk group of developing cancer."
The findings are reported in Nature Communications.