New Breathalyzer Device May 'Sniff Out' Lung Cancer Early

There may be a new test for lung cancer. Scientists have developed a breathalyzer test that senses volatile organic compounds that are biomarkers found exclusively in the exhaled breath of some people with lung cancer.

Lung cancer is one of the most common cancers for both men and women, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). It accounts for 1.8 million new cases and 1.6 million deaths worldwide in 2012. In the United States, the number of people who die from lung cancer each year has steadily increased over the last 15 years to 159,260 people in 2014.

The new device could be huge in terms of early lung cancer detection. It's based on a small, circular plate called fluorescent cross-responsive sensor array, which is a specially-designed rotary gas chamber and data collection system. The device itself can detect lung cancer related gases at very low concentrations below 50 parts per billion (ppb). This shows the potential to identify lung cancer at an early stage.

"Our results show that the device can discriminate different kinds and concentrations of cancer related volatile organic compounds with a nearly 100 percent accurate rate," said Jin-can Lei, the primary researcher of the new study, in a news release. "This would also be a rapid method in that the entire detection process in our experiment only takes about 20 minutes."

This cancer screening could be an important tool for preventing cancer deaths. By catching it early, it's more treatable. While there are existing ways to screen for lung cancer, there's a great need for more safe and effective methods-like this new device.

"The experiment shows that the fluorescent cross-responsive sensor can accurately distinguish the four cancer-related gases and discriminate the gas concentrations, ranging from 50 to 500 parts per billion," said Lei.

The next step is to refine the method and establish a complete fluorescent database for lung cancer related gases. In the future, this device could help detect cancer early and save lives.

The findings are published in the journal Review of Scientific Instruments.

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