What does cancer smell like?

A breath test will detect stomach cancer at an early stage

Natalia Pelezneva, Naked Science

Researchers from several British universities have created a method for diagnosing cancer of the esophagus and stomach using a breath test. According to them, this method will reduce the number of examinations using endoscopic methods – they are expensive and can cause complications. The description of the new technology is published in the journal JAMA Oncology (Markar et al., Assessment of a Noninvasive Exhaled Breath Test for the Diagnosis of Oesophagastric Cancer).

Stomach and esophageal cancer is often detected in the late stages, when the chances of defeating the disease are significantly reduced. Endoscopic methods are used for diagnosis – medical devices are injected into the body through natural openings or surgical incisions. Such procedures are relatively expensive, complications are possible during the examination, including due to spasms. Endoscopic examination can be uncomfortable, and some patients avoid it, despite the doctor's recommendations. Therefore, researchers are working on non-invasive diagnostic methods.

The authors of the new technique proposed to analyze the air that the patient exhales in search of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in a certain concentration. According to scientists, the indicators of the content of five substances can speak about the early stage of cancer: butyric, valerian and capronic acids, as well as butanal and decanal. The composition of air samples was analyzed using SIFT-MS (selected-ion flow-tube mass spectrometry) mass spectrometry.

The technique was tested on breath samples from 335 patients in British hospitals. 163 of them had previously been diagnosed with stomach or esophageal cancer, 172 had benign tumors or diseases unrelated to oncology. With the help of the new method, the correct diagnosis could be made in 85% of cases.

Scientists explain: this type of tests will be effective for primary research. The test results will help the doctor determine whether the patient needs an invasive endoscopic examination.

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