Developing a breath test for lung cancer
Results of a University of Colorado Cancer Center study show that a test of organic compounds in exhaled breath can distinguish patients with lung cancer from patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and also define the stage of any cancer present.
‘This could totally revolutionise lung cancer screening and diagnosis. The perspective here is the development of a non-traumatic, easy, cheap approach to early detection and differentiation of lung cancer,’ said Fred R. Hirsch, MD, PhD, investigator at the CU Cancer Center and professor of medical oncology at the University of Colorado School of Medicine.
The device, presented in a study at the 50th Annual Meeting of the American Society for Clinical Oncology (ASCO), requires blowing up a balloon, which is then attached to an extremely sensitive gold nanoparticle sensor. The particles in the sensor trap and then help to analyse volatile organic compounds in the exhaled breath. A USB device has recently been developed, which can be plugged into a computer for rapid analysis.
‘The metabolism of lung cancer patients is different than the metabolism of healthy people,’ Hirsch said in a statement. It is these differences in metabolism that can define the signatures of healthy breath, COPD or lung cancer.
Register now to continue reading
Thanks for visiting The Engineer. You’ve now reached your monthly limit of news stories. Register for free to unlock unlimited access to all of our news coverage, as well as premium content including opinion, in-depth features and special reports.
Benefits of registering
-
In-depth insights and coverage of key emerging trends
-
Unrestricted access to special reports throughout the year
-
Daily technology news delivered straight to your inbox
Experts speculate over cause of Iberian power outages
I´m sure politicians will be thumping tables and demanding answers - while Professor Bell, as reported above, says ´wait for detailed professional...