Beagle dogs may help identify lung cancer by scent with greater accuracy, reports a new study. The findings of the study are published in the Journal of the American Osteopathic Association.
After eight weeks of training, the beagles chosen for their superior olfactory receptor genes were able to distinguish between blood serum samples taken from patients with malignant lung cancer and healthy controls with 97% accuracy.
Trained Sniffer Dogs Help to Screen Lung Cancer
Scientists in Germany have discovered that sniffer dogs are very reliable when it comes to detecting lung cancer.
Advertisement
‘Beagles can successfully identify lung cancer through scent. The dogs' abilities may lead to the development of safe, effective, and inexpensive means for mass cancer screening.’
Read More..
Tweet it Now
Read More..
"We're using the dogs to sort through the layers of scent until we identify the tell-tale biomarkers," says Thomas Quinn, DO, professor at Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine and lead author on this study. "There is still a great deal of work ahead, but we're making good progress."
The dogs were led into a room with blood serum samples at nose level. Some samples came from patients with non-small cell lung cancer; others were drawn from healthy controls. After thoroughly sniffing a sample, the dogs sat down to indicate a positive finding for cancer or moved on if none was detected.
![Your Dog Can Sniff Out Cancer in Blood with Almost 97% Accuracy]( "Your Dog Can Sniff Out Cancer in Blood with Almost 97% Accuracy")
Trained sniffer dogs can detect cancer with 97 percent accuracy by just smelling blood samples, reveals a new study.
Dr. Quinn and his team are nearing completion of a second iteration of the study. This time the dogs are working to identify lung, breast, and colorectal cancer using samples of patients' breath, collected by the patient breathing into a face mask. Researchers say findings suggest the dogs are as effective detecting cancer using this method.
The next step will be to fractionate further the samples based on chemical and physical properties, presenting them back to the dogs until the specific biomarkers for each cancer are identified. The goal is to develop an over-the-counter screening product, similar to a pregnancy test, in terms of cost, simplicity, and availability. Dr. Quinn envisions a device that someone can breathe into and see a color change to indicate a positive or negative finding.
Early detection key
Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer death worldwide for both women and men, and more than 200,000 people annually in the United States receive a diagnosis of lung cancer. The five-year survival rate for stage IA non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is 92%. That drops to 13% in stage IIIC NSCLC, and after metastasis, the five-year survival rates range from 10% to less than 1%, depending on the stage.
Additionally, screening and imaging for lung cancer is costly and not always reliable. Chest X-rays have a high false-negative rate, while CT scans with a computer-aided diagnosis have a high false-positive rate. Previous studies indicated that 90% of missed lung cancers occur when using chest X-rays, and CT scans have difficulty identifying small, central, juxtavascular lung cancers.
Dr. Quinn believes his research can lead to better screening and diagnosis solutions, potentially creating a change in cancer detection.
"Right now it appears dogs have a better natural ability to screen for cancer than our most advanced technology," says Dr. Quinn. "Once we figure out what they know and how we may be able to catch up."
Source: Eurekalert
Your Dog Can Sniff Out Cancer in Blood with Almost 97% Accuracy
Trained sniffer dogs can detect cancer with 97 percent accuracy by just smelling blood samples, reveals a new study.
Advertisement
Dr. Quinn and his team are nearing completion of a second iteration of the study. This time the dogs are working to identify lung, breast, and colorectal cancer using samples of patients' breath, collected by the patient breathing into a face mask. Researchers say findings suggest the dogs are as effective detecting cancer using this method.
The next step will be to fractionate further the samples based on chemical and physical properties, presenting them back to the dogs until the specific biomarkers for each cancer are identified. The goal is to develop an over-the-counter screening product, similar to a pregnancy test, in terms of cost, simplicity, and availability. Dr. Quinn envisions a device that someone can breathe into and see a color change to indicate a positive or negative finding.
Early detection key
Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer death worldwide for both women and men, and more than 200,000 people annually in the United States receive a diagnosis of lung cancer. The five-year survival rate for stage IA non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is 92%. That drops to 13% in stage IIIC NSCLC, and after metastasis, the five-year survival rates range from 10% to less than 1%, depending on the stage.
Additionally, screening and imaging for lung cancer is costly and not always reliable. Chest X-rays have a high false-negative rate, while CT scans with a computer-aided diagnosis have a high false-positive rate. Previous studies indicated that 90% of missed lung cancers occur when using chest X-rays, and CT scans have difficulty identifying small, central, juxtavascular lung cancers.
Dr. Quinn believes his research can lead to better screening and diagnosis solutions, potentially creating a change in cancer detection.
"Right now it appears dogs have a better natural ability to screen for cancer than our most advanced technology," says Dr. Quinn. "Once we figure out what they know and how we may be able to catch up."
Source: Eurekalert
Lung Cancer Screening
Lung cancer accounts for nearly 1.3 million deaths annually worldwide. Lung cancer screening can help in early detection of cancer and possible cure.
Advertisement
 Lung Cancer Awareness Month - Improving Lung Cancer SurvivalLung cancer awareness month is observed in November and aims to educate the general public about lung cancer and improve survival. Lung cancer is the most common cancer in men and the third most common cancer in women. | Advertisement
|
Advertisement
Recommended Readings
Latest Cancer News
The new study uncovers the efficacy of fixed-duration combination treatment in patients with high-risk leukemia.
The approvals of pipeline drugs such as momelotinib and Vonjo for myelofibrosis (a rare type of blood cancer) over some time will handle the critical unmet needs.
New study highlights the dual role that blood vessels can play in cancer immunotherapy and eliciting anti-tumor immune responses or even preventing breast cancer spread.
New study evaluated the association between exposure to the chemical agent orange and the development of blood cancer with increased bleeding and blood clot formation.
Study suggests two-year immunotherapy treatment for advanced lung cancer may be reasonable