| Did you know that some dogs can detect cancer, | | | | early is the key to better survival chances. |
| and sometimes they are even more accurate | | | | Unfortunately, it usually has few symptoms until it |
| than scientific equipment? This was first tested | | | | progresses to a stage that is difficult to treat. |
| with lung cancer via breath samples. It seems | | | | Sometimes medical tests can detect this cancer |
| there's a direct connection. | | | | early enough, but this is not always the case. The |
| A talented dog can detect lung cancer via breath | | | | earlier this cancer is caught the better, so if dogs |
| at ninety-nine percent accuracy. For breast | | | | can detect it quickly this helps patients be |
| cancer, they can detect at eight-eight percent. | | | | successfully treated. |
| Recently, scientists are working to see if dogs | | | | Also some breast cancers can be aggressive. This |
| can detect ovarian cancer too. | | | | means they grow fast. Mammograms are helpful |
| You have to train the dogs to do this first. The | | | | and can find tumors that are smaller than we can |
| dogs are trained by putting breath samples into | | | | find in a breast self-exam, but they aren't |
| identical boxes. The boxes are weighted down | | | | foolproof. It would be best to be able to detect |
| with concrete slabs so the dogs don't knock the | | | | the cancer before it would show up on a |
| boxes over. | | | | mammogram. Lung cancer is also best caught |
| Michael McCullouch, with the Pine Street | | | | very early. |
| Foundation, is the researcher conducting the tests. | | | | There are herbal supplements that may help |
| He's working in partnership with the University of | | | | cancer patients, but there are no herbal remedies |
| Maine. He has four dogs, and they accurately | | | | for cancer. You have to go to the doctor, and be |
| identified the correct sample (the one with | | | | sure to let them know what supplements you are |
| cancer) thirty times. | | | | using or considering. Your doctor and oncologist |
| Why would scientists bother with dogs for cancer | | | | need to know this because some herbs can |
| detection? Survival rates for ovarian cancer aren't | | | | interact with chemotherapy treatments. |
| the best - about five years. Catching this cancer | | | | |