Breast cancer is the second leading cause of death among women in the United States.  In 2006, the American Cancer Society estimated that there would be 212,920 new cases of invasive breast cancer, and in that year, 40,970 women would die from it.  Many women's lives could be saved if this cancer was diagnosed earlier, and early diagnosis could be achieved if there were more and easier opportunities to do so.

Sebastian Z. Paige and Charles F. Streckfus, DDS, MA, the authors of the study, "Salivary analysis in the diagnosis and treatment of breast cancer," published in the March/April 2007 issue of General Dentistry, the Academy of General Dentistry's (AGD) clinical, peer-reviewed journal, researched a new method of diagnosis.

They found that the protein levels in saliva have great potential to assist in the diagnosis, treatment, and follow-up care of breast cancer.  And general dentists are perfect candidates to assist with this diagnosis samples because they can easily remove saliva samples from a patient's mouth during routine visits.  As the AGD's Vice-President Paula Jones, DDS, FAGD says, "Since a patient visits the dentist more frequently than their physician, it makes sense that this diagnostic tool could be very effective in the hands of the general dentist." 

Updated: October 2008