Breast Cancer Salivary Testing

Name: Breast Cancer Salivary Testing
SKU: 359452
Availability: InStock

$10.00

Course Overview

Breast cancer remains a leading cause of cancer mortality worldwide, emphasizing the critical need for early and accurate detection methods. While mammography is the gold standard, it has limitations regarding radiation exposure, patient discomfort, and reduced sensitivity in dense breast tissue. Salivary diagnostics has emerged as a promising, non-invasive adjunct for detecting breast cancer biomarkers. Saliva contains a proteomic and genomic profile that effectively mirrors blood plasma, offering a rich source of specific protein and mRNA markers associated with malignancy.
This course explores the science behind salivary testing for breast cancer, reviewing the physiological mechanisms of biomarker transport from tumor tissue to salivary glands. It covers the current landscape of diagnostic technologies, their sensitivity and specificity compared to traditional imaging, and the clinical protocols for sample collection. Dental professionals, often the first line of contact for oral health screenings, are uniquely positioned to implement these salivary diagnostic tools, potentially facilitating earlier intervention and improving patient survival rates.

Learning Objectives

After completing this course, participants will be able to:

Explain the physiological mechanism by which breast cancer biomarkers are transported from the systemic circulation into saliva.
Identify the key protein and mRNA biomarkers (such as c-erbB-2 and CA15-3) currently utilized in salivary diagnostics.
Compare the sensitivity and specificity of salivary testing versus mammography and traditional physical examination.
Describe the indications for salivary breast cancer screening and identify the ideal patient demographics for its use.
Outline the step-by-step clinical protocol for collecting, stabilizing, and shipping salivary samples to ensure accuracy.
Discuss the advantages of non-invasive salivary testing in overcoming patient barriers such as anxiety, cost, or radiation concerns.
Interpret the clinical significance of “positive” or “high-risk” test results and determining appropriate medical referral pathways.
Evaluate the current limitations, regulatory status, and future potential of saliva-based liquid biopsies in general oncology.

Categories: $19, CEU Courses, Online CEU Courses

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