Breakthrough breath test could detect lung cancer early

Breakthrough breath test could detect lung cancer early

Tiny metal sensors could drastically reduce death from the disease.

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Published: November 8, 2024 at 6:00 pm

Researchers claim they’ve developed a device that can diagnose lung cancer through patients' breaths. A new study has unveiled the highly sensitive sensor, which researchers hope will one day be able to detect the disease in a non-invasive way

Created by scientists from China and Spain, the sensor uses metal thousands of times thinner than a strand of human hair, known as ‘nanoflakes’. These nanoflakes – made from a combination of platinum, indium and nickel – are designed to measure the level of isoprene in a person's breath.

Scientists aren’t certain where isoprene comes from in the body or why, in rare circumstances, some people don’t exhale it. However, in this study, scientists noticed that lung cancer patients tended to have a decreased level of the chemical in their breath compared to those who were cancer-free. 

The sensor can measure isoprene in a person's breath with an accuracy never seen before. Experts have to work with a measurement, known as parts per billion.

In recent tests, researchers detected levels as low as 2 ppb of isoprene, which is like isolating 2 seconds from a 32 year timeline. 

In total, scientists used the device to analyse 13 breath samples in the study published in the American Chemical Society Journal. Isoprene levels dropped below 40 ppb in lung cancer patients, while cancer-free individuals had levels over 60 ppb.

Around 35,000 people in the UK die from lung cancer every year. Some UK charities estimate almost 8 in 10 cases are preventable. 

Researchers behind this study hope this sensing device will save lives by providing another tool to screen for lung cancer.

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