Sidewalk diagnostics?
Dec 24th 2004Wallabynerd alert
“Early Success Using Saliva to Detect Oral Cancer” (on ScienceBlog, original report at NIH).
Saliva contains mRNA molecules that indicate the presence of mouth cancer; elevated levels of just four of these markers (out of 1679 genes expressed at higher levels in people with oral squamous cell carcinoma) can be detected for 91% accurate diagnosis. (Looking for additional markers should raise this to 99-100%.) This is the first genetic test for diagnosing oral cancer, and of course should lead to earlier diagnosis and thus a better chance of treating it successfully.
Now, they just need a way to coat sidewalks with the test probes, for the sake of all the people too lazy to find some place else to spit. If the sidewalk turns red… tell your doctor. Or maybe toothbrushes or something.