A new breath test that could detect the symptoms of multiple types of cancer is being tested by researchers in the United Kingdom.
An array of illnesses create signature smells, and recent research indicates a person’s breath could lead to an early cancer diagnosis, according to the Cancer Research UK Cambridge Centre.
Researchers have launched a clinical trial to develop a breath test by analyzing molecules that could indicate the presence of cancer at an early stage.
Through the use of Owlstone Medical’s “Breath Biopsy” technology, researchers plan to collect samples from people to see if odorous molecules, known as volatile organic compounds (VOCs), can be detected.
“We urgently need to develop new tools, like this breath test, which could help to detect and diagnose cancer earlier, giving patients the best chance of surviving their disease,” lead trial investigator Rebecca Fitzgerald said in a press release.
When cells carry out biochemical reactions as part of their metabolism, they produce a range of VOCs, according to researchers. If their metabolism becomes altered, such as in cancer and various other conditions, cells can release a different pattern of VOCs. Researchers hope to identify the patterns by utilizing the new technology.
The two-year trial will collect samples from 1,500 people, including healthy people as trial controls.
It will start with patients with suspected oesophageal and stomach cancers and then expand to prostate, kidney, bladder, liver and pancreatic cancers in the coming months.
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