[ 2011-04-20 ]

Could a breath test detect cancer?

Cancer breath test 'step closer'
A breath test that can sniff-out cancer is a step
closer to reality, according to a preliminary
study.

Researchers found an "electronic nose" was able to
identify chemical signals of cancer in the breath
of patients with lung or head and neck cancer.

A cancer charity said it would take years of
research to see if the breath test could be used
in the clinic.

About 80 volunteers took part in the Israeli
research, published in the British Journal of
Cancer.

Of these 22 had various head-and-neck cancers, 24
had lung cancer and 36 were healthy.

The prototype breath test uses a chemical method
to spot markers of cancer present in the breath.

The hope is that one day such a test could be used
in a GP's surgery to give an instant diagnosis.

'Urgent need'

Researchers at the Technion - Israel Institute of
Technology - are working on a device called the
nano artificial nose.

They looked at head-and-neck cancer, which is
often diagnosed late, making it more difficult to
treat successfully.

Lead researcher, Professor Hossam Haick, said:
"There's an urgent need to develop new ways to
detect head-and-neck cancer because diagnosis of
the disease is complicated, requiring specialist
examinations.

"We've shown that a simple 'breath test' can spot
the patterns of molecules which are found in
head-and-neck patients in a small, early study.

"We now need to test these results in larger
studies to find if this could lead to a potential
screening method for the disease."

Dr Lesley Walker, of Cancer Research UK, said it
was incredibly important to spot the disease as
soon as possible when it was easier to treat
successfully.

She added: "These interesting initial results show
promise for the development of a breath test to
detect head-and-neck cancers which are often
diagnosed at an advanced stage.

"But it's important to be clear that this is a
small study, at a very early stage, so many more
years of research with patients will be needed to
see if a breath test could be used in the clinic."

Source - BBC

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