• Researchers at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Roorkee have taken the first step to identify certain proteins found in saliva that can be used as potential biomarkers indicative of breast and ovarian cancer metastasis.
  • The composition and expression of salivary gland-derived proteins are altered in people with breast and ovarian cancer.
  • So studying the salivary proteins may offer an easy alternative for screening cancer patients.
  • The unique proteins that were found in breast and ovarian cancer patients were associated with progression of metastasis.
  • These proteins may be playing a critical role in metastasis. We don’t know yet.
  • In those who have undergone at least three cycles of chemotherapy, the researchers were able to identify nine proteins indicating that salivary proteins could indicate patients’ responsiveness to chemotherapy.