| A recent in the US is offering hope for | | | | detect VOCs in the same manner that dogs |
| testing for lung cancer. US scientists | | | | are trained to detect drugs and other |
| have now developed and already tested a | | | | compounds. |
| prototype breath test to detect lung | | | | The prototype of this device was |
| cancer. This may enable doctors to | | | | developed by Dr Peter Mazzone of the The |
| detect lung cancer at earlier stages. | | | | Cleveland Clinic in Ohio in |
| The results of the US study test was | | | | collaboration with the private company |
| published in the international journal | | | | ChemSensing of Champaign, Illinois. The |
| of respiratory medicine Thorax. | | | | private company customizes |
| In the tests, the colour testing device, | | | | Metalloporphyrins, a chemically reactive |
| which is the size of a coin and is | | | | dye family that are sensitive to VOCs. |
| surprisingly inexpensive, had a 75 per | | | | They are working to develop an |
| cent success rate in detecting people | | | | inexpensive device. The only equipment |
| with different cancers. | | | | available to the public are mass |
| However, the tests were not 100 per cent | | | | spectrometers or gas chromatographs. |
| accurate. The device showed false | | | | These are expensive and require the |
| positives on people who did not have | | | | services of an expert to analyse the |
| lung cancer. This reduces the device's | | | | results. |
| effectiveness removing doctor's ability | | | | The new device resembles a 2 cm square |
| to start immediate treatments. | | | | key fob with a 6 by 6 pattern of |
| The technique called a "colorimetric | | | | coloured dots visible through the |
| sensor array" picks up the chemical | | | | plastic casing. Changes in the pattern |
| fingerprint of the breath of people with | | | | of the dots indicate the presence of |
| lung cancer that are caused by the | | | | VOCs in the breath based on the gas |
| tumours. | | | | makeup of the breath. |
| Cancers produce volatile organic | | | | Scientists tested 143 patients. |
| compounds (VOCs) that are different from | | | | Patients needed to breathe into the |
| normal cells. Tumours in the lungs are | | | | device for 12 minutes. The test group |
| more likely to contain increased signs | | | | was divided into three groups. Some |
| of these abnormal compounds. This | | | | patients had lung cancer at various |
| increases the potential for the device | | | | stages, some had other forms of |
| to pick up a lung cancer "fingerprint" | | | | respiratory illnesses like emphysema. |
| in the breath. | | | | The rest were healthy. |
| Surprisingly, dogs are able to detect | | | | The device spotted 73 per cent of the |
| VOCs and differentiate between people | | | | lung cancer patients and cleared 72 per |
| with lung cancer and healthy people. | | | | cent of the non-lung cancer patients. |
| With 'early response' a major factor in | | | | This is not 100 per cent, but the |
| survival rates, there are many who | | | | results are acceptable. |
| wonder why dogs are not trained to | | | | |