In a breakthrough that caps 10 years of research, UCLA scientists have developed a saliva test that can quickly and accurately identify biomarkers of lung cancer.

The test, which takes only 10 minutes and can be conducted in a doctor’s office, is slated to be tried out in patients this year.

David Wong, of the School of Dentistry at the University of California-Los Angeles (UCLA), and colleagues have been working on a method called a "liquid biopsy" that detects circulating tumor DNA in bodily fluids such as saliva and blood.

Liquid biopsies hold the promise of rapid, less invasive identification of cancers and easier tracking of the progress of treatment than biopsies and other methods.

Wong described the device in a news briefing at the 2016 Annual Meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science this week in Washington, D.C.

The device uses what is called an “electric field-induced release and measurement” (EFIRM) to detect non-small cell lung cancer biomarkers in saliva.

Wong explained that the device works by detecting genetic mutations in a cancer-linked protein called epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR).

Wong said that the trial in lung cancer patients is taking place in China this year, as part of a collaboration between UCLA and West China Hospital of Sichuan University.

Wong and colleagues have also been looking at the possibility of a saliva test for detecting mutations linked to cancers of the mouth and throat.