Sniffing Out Cancer

Makarand writes "Researchers at the Univeristy of Rome are developing an electronic nose that can sniff out cancer by sampling people's breath. The instrument uses sensors that respond to the presence of chemical compounds in the patient's breath. For example, lung cancer patients exhale alkanes and benzene derivatives which the electronic nose will try to detect. The sensors are quartz crystal sensors coated with a substance that binds to a range of organic chemicals. If certain molecules in the breath bind to this surface coating they change the natural vibration frequency of the crystal."

Comments

Only detects it, doesn't cure it

[Samir Gupta]

I think this will just pave the way for more social and economic discrimination for cancer patients (eg, insurance, housing, etc).

Re:Only detects it, doesn't cure it

[lylum]

Possible... but detection is the first step to the cure.
It would just be as much scoial and economic discrimination if the patients would die because their cancer was detected too late. And the earlier it is detected, the higher are the chances for it to be cured.

Re:Only detects it, doesn't cure it

[sTavvy]

while your subject is true. if this method works properly, and effectivly, then the ability to detect cancer by sampling someones breath would be a much easier method to detect. having had family members that have had cancer (bowel, breast) it would be much better for them, if cancer could be detected by this, instead of say, a colonoscopy (spelling!). i wouldn't mind betting that if this procedure gets picked up that it is just used for the check up phase of treatment. i.e after chemo (spelling again!), or radiotherapy or whatever. simply getting your breath checked by your local GP would be much better than having to go in for a blood test etc. still, makes you wonder if the results could be skewed, depending on what had been eated before the test!! Steve

Who said it would be cheap?

[lylum]

Just wait until they patent the idea.....

This is true, but...

[Sad Loser]

Some diseases do produce characteristic smells.
Uncontrolled diabetes makes the breath smell a bit like nail varnish. Infections, liver disease and cancer also make distinct smells.

There is a big danger in using a test like this inappropriately for screening, as has already been aluded to.

Breast screening, prostate screening and even cervical cancer screening are all not good screening tests (as they stand at the moment). For cervical cancer, which is probably the best of the three for screening, you have to screen 1000 women for 35 years to prevent one death. You think about the extra cost, extra tests and all the pain and anxiety of all the people who get false positive results.

Screening is like wearing an elastic seatbelt. It gives you illusion of security, when in fact it gives you no real protection, and just adds inconvenience. Unlike an elastic seatbelt, there is no 'real' substitute. yet.

Just to make it more difficult, their is an entire industry set up around producing and promoting these 'elastic seatbelts'.