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Simple breath test may detect various cancers
Peng G. Br J Cancer. 2010;103:542-551.
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A new nanosensor array breath test identified people with lung, breast, colorectal and prostate cancers, according to new study findings published in the British Journal of Cancer.
These findings build on earlier research suggesting that a sensor made with gold nanoparticles could detect lung cancer in breath.
“The ‘NA-NOSE’ concept has the potential to reduce cancer mortality by enabling widespread, trustworthy screening, especially suitable for high-risk populations,” Hossam Haick, PhD, senior lecturer, Chemical Engineering at Technion–Israel Institute of Technology, in Haifa, told HemOnc Today.
According to the researchers, tumor growth is accompanied by changes that may lead to the emission of volatile organic compounds. Therefore, they set out to determine whether the test would identify lung, breast, colorectal or prostate cancers in the breath of 177 volunteers aged between 20 and 75 years.
The researchers identified six of the 33 most common volatile organic compounds for lung cancer; five of the 54 most common for breast cancer; six of the 39 most common for colon cancer; and four of the 36 most common for prostate cancer.
Healthy vs. cancerous breath patterns were identified regardless of age, gender, lifestyle and other confounding factors.
“If we can confirm these initial results in large scale studies, this new technology could become a simple tool for early diagnosis of cancer along with imaging. It could also be an easy way to assess and monitor the effectiveness of cancer treatment and detect relapses earlier,” Haick said.
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