Dogs Trained To Sniff Out Ovarian Cancer

Hugh Pickens DOT Com writes "Dogs have been trained to sniff out drugs, explosives, cadavers, mobile phones, firearms, and money but now AP reports that researchers have started training canines to sniff out the signature compound that indicates the presence of ovarian cancer. If the animals can isolate the chemical marker, scientists at the nearby Monell Chemical Senses Center will work to create an electronic sensor to identify the same odorant. "Because if the dogs can do it, then the question is, Can our analytical instrumentation do it? We think we can," says organic chemist George Preti. More than 20,000 Americans are diagnosed with ovarian cancer each year. When it's caught early, women have a five-year survival rate of 90 percent. But because of its generic symptoms — weight gain, bloating or constipation — the disease is more often caught late."

Comments

Wanted: Annoying crotch sniffing dog

[Anonymous Coward]

Wanted: Annoying crotch sniffing dog. While any breed will do, one who's head is about waist height and who's nose is not too messy is preferred. Top dollar will be paid for obsessive-compulsive sniffers.

Re:Wanted: Annoying crotch sniffing dog

[glueball]

Dog will work in the lab. After positive patient finding, send patient to cat scan.

Genitals

[Olix]

This is a pretty good idea as dogs like to smell genitals anyway. They should do it for testicular cancer too.

Re:Bad metric

[JustOK]

It usually takes a lifetime to kill you.

In some cases

[SpaghettiPattern]

In some cases I'd try and give the dog a run for its money.