61 A new study highlights the potential of saliva as a non-invasive diagnostic tool for early detection of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). With the ability to detect various biomarkers, saliva could revolutionise cancer diagnosis, providing a less invasive alternative to traditional tissue biopsies. The findings were published in the journal Translational Oncology. HNSCC is the sixth most common cancer worldwide, with high incidence rates in Southeast Asia. The main causes of it are high-risk human papillomavirus (HPV) infection, alcohol consumption, and tobacco use. Early detection is crucial, as treatment is most effective during the initial stages of the disease. But invasive tissue biopsies have been the standard method for diagnosis, often causing physical and emotional stress to patients. Researchers are now focusing on saliva as an alternative diagnostic fluid, considering its easy accessibility, cost-effectiveness, and its ability to reflect the health status of the body. Unlike blood or tissue biopsies, saliva can be collected without specialised training, making it a highly convenient bio-fluid for screening purposes. Saliva-based diagnostics have shown high sensitivity and specificity, making them promising for the early detection of diseases like HNSCC. The study reveals that saliva can be used to detect multiple molecular markers, including HPV DNA, gene mutations, and various proteins associated with cancer. This makes saliva particularly valuable for identifying early-stage tumours and monitoring disease progression. The performance of saliva-based diagnostic tests has been reported to be highly reliable, with sensitivity and specificity rates exceeding 95%. Saliva tests are particularly effective at monitoring HPV-induced HNSCCs, which typically have a better prognosis than tobacco-related ones. The presence of HPV DNA in saliva serves as a key indicator of HPV-driven cancers, offering a simple, non-invasive method for early identification. Saliva-based diagnostics offer several advantages over traditional methods. They are cost-effective, allow for repeated sampling, and reduce the risk of infection transmission to healthcare workers. This approach is particularly useful in low-resource settings where access to healthcare facilities is limited. But despite its potential, the clinical adoption of saliva diagnostics is still in its early stages. Further research is required to standardise testing protocols and validate the efficacy of saliva-based diagnostics across diverse patient populations. Currently, the use of saliva as a diagnostic tool is limited due to the need for more extensive clinical validation. As researchers continue to explore the diagnostic capabilities of saliva, its role in cancer management could expand significantly. The ability to use saliva for early detection, prognosis, and monitoring treatment responses would not only improve patient outcomes but also reduce the burden on healthcare systems. By making cancer detection more accessible and less invasive, saliva-based testing could become a game-changer in the fight against head and neck cancer.