US researchers have developed an electronic nose that is able to sniff out lung cancer. The biosensor, which is called Cyranose, works by picking up the scent of specific compounds exhaled in the breath of lung cancer patients. Dr Roberto F Machado and colleagues at the Cleveland Clinic in Ohio recently tested the Cyranose to see whether it could detect lung cancer in 59 volunteers – 14 lung cancer patents, 25 people with other lung disorders, and 20 healthy people. Results showed that the nose was able to detect those with lung cancer successfully, although Madchado says the device needs to be refined to improve its sensitivity. If future trials of the Cyranose are successful it could provide doctors with a fat, non-invasive method of detecting lung cancer.
SOURCE/REFERENCE: Reported by www.reutershealth.com on the 19th May 2003
