预防前列腺癌：唾液检测可快速识别高危基因

A spit test to detect men at increased risk of prostate cancer has started early trials.

一种通过唾液检测识别前列腺癌高风险患者的诊断方法已经开始了早期试验。

The new DNA test looks for high-risk genes that are thought to affect one in every 100 men.

据信每100名男子中就有1人可能携带这种高危基因。

Three hundred men are taking part in the trials, from three London GP surgeries.

目前，只有300名男子参加这项在伦敦开展的检测。

At present, there is no single, reliable test for prostate cancer. The PSA blood test, biopsies and physical examinations are all used.

目前，仍没有任何单一可行的前列腺癌检测方法。前列腺特异抗原（the PSA blood test）、活检以及体检都不是完全可靠。

But the PSA can give false positives and sometimes misses more aggressive cases.

前列腺特异抗原可能会呈现假阳性，有时又会漏掉一些非常严重的病例 。

The new DNA test was created by a group of international scientists based at the Institute of Cancer Research (ICR) in London.

该DNA检测是由一组位于伦敦癌症研究院（the Institute of Cancer Research (ICR) in London）的国际科学家研制出来的。

They studied more than 140,000 men and identified 63 new genetic variations that can increase the risk of prostate cancer.

他们对14万名男子进行了研究，共鉴定出可能增加前列腺癌风险的63种新遗传变异。

The DNA test combines those variants with more than 100 others previously linked to prostate cancer.

科学家把这63种遗传变异结合之前100多种与前列腺癌有关的基因研发出了这种测试。

Ros Eeles, professor of oncogenetics at the ICR, said the study was "very significant".

伦敦癌症研究院的肿瘤遗传学教授罗斯.伊莱斯（Ros Eeles）说，这个研究"十分重要"。

By looking at the DNA code of tens of thousands of men in more depth than ever before, we have uncovered vital new information about the genetic factors that can predispose someone to prostate cancer, and, crucially, we have shown that information from more than 150 genetic variants can now be combined to provide a readout of a man’s inherited risk of prostate cancer.

通过深度观测和研究数万名男子的DNA密码，我们发现了关于可能导致某些人罹患前列腺癌的那些遗传因素的重要新信息。关键是我们结合了已知的150多种遗传变异可以为人们提供一名男子患前列腺癌遗传风险的读数。

Only those men found to be at higher risk of prostate cancer would then be scanned and have a prostate biopsy, so researchers hope it could prevent unnecessary procedures.

只有那些属于高危人群的男子将接受进一步的检查以及前列腺活检。研究人员希望这可以阻止那些不必要的介入措施。

If you find the disease earlier it’s much easier to treat it and much more easy to cure, says Prof Elees.

伊莱斯表示，如果能早期发现症状，当然治疗更容易，也更容易治愈。

The trial will be expanded to 5,000 men next year.

明年，试验范围将扩大到5000人。

Prof Paul Workman, chief executive of the Institute of Cancer Research, said the study also provided important information about the causes of prostate cancer and the potential role of the immune system "which could ultimately be employed in the design of new treatments".

癌症研究院院长保罗.沃克曼（prof Paul Workman）说，该研究也为前列腺癌的成因以及人体免疫系统的作用提供了重要信息。免疫系统最终可能被用于设计新的治疗方案。

The study is published in the journal Nature Genetics.

该项研究发表在《自然遗传学》杂志（Nature Genetics）上 。