A breath test could help detect pancreatic cancer at an early stage
Unlike other methods, this test is even non-invasive. The study has been published in the British Journal of Surgery.
Jehana Antia | Jul 25, 2018, 11:12 IST
Unlike other methods such as endoscopies, a more non-invasive method such as a breath test can now be used to detect pancreatic cancer at an early stage, states a recent study that has been published in the British Journal of Surgery. The test has produced encouraging results in a clinical study and will now be tested in a larger multicentre trial at Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust and five other London hospitals from October.
Researchers analysed breath samples of 132 patients at St Mary’s Hospital and found the test can correctly identify cancer from benign conditions in 81 per cent of patients who had the disease. Scientists believe that the test could be used to diagnose pancreatic cancer at an earlier stage and screen patients who are most at risk of developing the disease. Professor George Hanna, lead author of the study at Imperial College London, said, “We’re in a bleak situation where pancreatic cancer is often diagnosed at a late stage where little can be done to cure patients. There is a need to develop more effective methods to identify this disease at a much earlier stage. Our breath test could be one of the solutions to tackling this as it can be used as a first line test on patients who may have non-specific symptoms, or have a family history, so we can direct them to have more specialised tests and offer treatments that can save more lives.”
In early stages, it's very difficult to diagnose pancreatic cancer cause it doesn't give out any signs and symptoms in early stages. It’s only once the disease is at an advanced stage that symptoms become noticeable. The test looks for chemical compounds in exhaled breath that are unique to patients with pancreatic cancer. The cancers produce a distinctive smell of volatile organic compounds (VOC), chemicals that contain carbon and are found in all living things, which can help doctors to detect cancer before it can cause any more damage. This could potentially be groundbreaking...
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