London, October 10, 2025 (WAL) – Researchers from the Wellcome Sanger Institute in collaboration with King’s College London have proposed a new technique based on a “cheek swab” to detect genetic mutations in healthy tissues, marking a pioneering step towards early cancer prevention.

The technique, called NanoSeq, allows highly accurate analysis of genetic changes, enabling scientists to track somatic mutations that naturally occur with aging or due to environmental factors such as smoking and alcohol consumption.

The study analyzed cheek cell samples from over 1,000 participants, along with blood samples. Participants ranged in age from 21 to 91 years and included smokers, non-smokers, and individuals with varying levels of alcohol consumption.

Researchers detected more than 340,000 genetic mutations in cheek cells, including 62,000 mutations in genes known to cause cancer. The results also showed mutations in 49 genes that give cells a growth advantage, potentially representing early stages of tumor formation.

The researchers indicated that these mutational patterns could be used in the future as measurable biomarkers to estimate cancer risk, opening the door to precise preventive interventions and optimal timing for early treatment.

The study also found that smokers had more mutations in the NOTCH1 gene, which is linked to several diseases, while distinctive DNA changes were recorded in regular alcohol consumers.

The research team confirmed that most genetic mutations discovered in healthy tissues were limited in scope and did not proliferate over time, highlighting the importance of early detection to prevent malignant tumor development.