Canine cancer detection

Canine cancer detection is an approach to cancer screening that relies upon the olfactory ability of dogs to detect very low concentrations of the alkanes and aromatic compounds generated by tumors.

Research

Although the first suggestion of this approach in a medical journal dates back to 1989,cite journal |author=Williams H, Pembroke A |title=Sniffer dogs in the melanoma clinic? |journal=Lancet |volume=1 |issue=8640 |pages=734 |year=1989 |pmid=2564551 |doi=] there were only occasional publications on the subject in the next decade.cite journal |author=Church J, Williams H |title=Another sniffer dog for the clinic? |journal=Lancet |volume=358 |issue=9285 |pages=930 |year=2001 |pmid=11575380 |doi=]

However, two studies (one published in 2004cite journal |author=Willis CM, Church SM, Guest CM, "et al" |title=Olfactory detection of human bladder cancer by dogs: proof of principle study |journal=BMJ |volume=329 |issue=7468 |pages=712 |year=2004 |pmid=15388612 |doi=10.1136/bmj.329.7468.712] [ [http://www.usatoday.com/news/health/2004-09-24-cancer-sniffing_x.htm USA Today - "Study shows dogs able to smell cancer"] ] [ [http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2004/09/24/health/main645357.shtml CBS News - "Dogs Can Smell Cancer"] ] and one in 2006) had promising results, with the 2006 report claiming a 99 percent accuracy in detecting lung cancer,cite journal |author=McCulloch M, Jezierski T, Broffman M, Hubbard A, Turner K, Janecki T |title=Diagnostic accuracy of canine scent detection in early- and late-stage lung and breast cancers |journal=Integrative cancer therapies |volume=5 |issue=1 |pages=30–9 |year=2006 |pmid=16484712 |doi=10.1177/1534735405285096] although both studies were preliminary and involved small numbers of patients.

Uses

There are two proposed benefits, assuming that further studies corroborate the initial results.

* Some researchers believe that dogs will become integrated directly into patient care, akin to their use in detecting bombs, drugs, and missing people.

* Others recommend that the skill of dogs in detecting cancer would be more appropriately confined to labs, where gas chromatographs could be used to isolate which specific compounds the dogs identified. Recent developments include a simple breathalyser which changes colour according to the compounds in the breath, indicating the presence of cancer. [ [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/6387773.stm Lunc cancer 'colour breath test'] at BBC]

ee also

* Scent hound

References

External links

* [http://www.pinestreetfoundation.org/articles/canine.html Pine Street Foundation - Information and FAQs on Canine Scent Detection of Cancer] at pinestreetfoundation.org

* [http://www.nytimes.com/2006/01/17/health/17dog.html NYTimes - "Dogs Excel on Smell Test to Find Cancer"] at New York Times

* [http://www.nytimes.com/2006/06/13/nyregion/13dogs.html?hp&ex=1150257600&en=1098a4ffbdf88dba&ei=5094&partner=homepage NYTimes - Dogs and Their Fine Noses Find New Career Path] at New York Times

* [http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/10822627/ Reuters - Dogs can detect the disease by smelling breath samples, study finds] at MSNBC

* The Sunday Times - [http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,2092-1859073,00.html Dr Dog, the cancer specialist]

* [http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2006/01/0112_060112_dog_cancer.html Dogs Smell Cancer in Patients' Breath] at National Geographic

* [http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0602/07/i_ins.01.html - Cancer-Detecting Dogs] at CNN

* [http://www.healthday.com/view.cfm?id=530386 Dogs Smell Signs of Cancer] at healthday.com

* [http://sanfrancisco.bizjournals.com/sanfrancisco/stories/2006/01/16/newscolumn4.html "Man's best friend may hold key to sniffing out certain cancers"] at San Francisco Business Times

* [http://www.pacificsun.com/story_archives/cut_dogs.html "Sniffing out cancer"] at Pacific Sun

* [http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/10822627/ Dogs can detect the disease by smelling breath samples, study finds] - Reuters