Saliva Test for Earlier Detection of Colorectal Cancer

Colorectal cancer is one of the most common types of cancer and a leading cause of death in the Netherlands. People with a lower income or education level often develop colorectal cancer more frequently and participate less in screening programs. In the DENTA project research institutes (Radboudumc and HAN) and hospitals are working together with a partner from the public and private sector (ADD Laboral) to develop an easy, painless saliva test that could detect colorectal cancer early.

Colorectal cancer affects around 13,000 people in the Netherlands each year, and about 5,000 people die from the disease. Early detection greatly increases the chance of survival, yet many people do not take part in the current stool-based screening test. A simple saliva test could make early detection easier and more accessible, especially for groups who are now less likely to participate. This innovation could therefore help reduce health inequalities and save more lives.

In this study, we collect saliva, stool, and tumor samples from 50 patients with colorectal cancer in three hospitals (CWZ, Bernhoven, and Boxmeer). We focus on a specific mouth bacterium, Fusobacterium nucleatum, which is found in both the mouth and intestines of people with colorectal cancer. By studying this link, we aim to find bacterial markers in saliva that indicate the presence of cancer.

The deliverable of this project will be a validated set of biological and clinical data that can form the basis for developing a new saliva-based screening test for colorectal cancer. This test could, in the future, be used alongside or as an alternative to the stool test, helping more people get diagnosed on time.