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