Breath Test Distinguishes Lung Cancer from Other Pulmonary Diseases

A test of organic compounds in exhaled breath can distinguish patients with lung cancer from patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and can also define the stage of any cancer present.

The device requires blowing up a balloon, which is then attached to an extremely sensitive gold nanoparticle sensor and the particles in the sensor trap then help to analyze volatile organic compounds in the exhaled breath.

Scientists at the University of Colorado Cancer Center (Aurora, CO, USA) point out the need for new lung cancer screening and diagnosis tools in the context of recent lung cancer screening guidelines by the US Preventative Task Force showing that screening via low-dose computed tomography can reduce disease mortality by 20%. However, along with more sensitive screening comes a much higher incidence of false positives, primarily in the form of noncancerous lung nodules.

The device's potential uses go beyond diagnosis. A breath test during therapy for malignancy and a breath test after treatment could define whether a patient should stay with a drug regimen or explore other options. The next generations of the device could potentially help doctors quickly, simply, and inexpensively define patients' lung cancer subtypes, allowing doctors to pair molecularly targeted therapies with subtypes early in the treatment process.

Fred R. Hirsch, MD, PhD, a professor of oncology, said, “This could totally revolutionize lung cancer screening and diagnosis. The perspective here is the development of a nontraumatic, easy, cheap approach to early detection and differentiation of lung cancer. The metabolism of lung cancer patients is different than the metabolism of healthy people, and it is these differences in metabolism that can define the signatures of healthy breath, COPD or lung cancer.

Professor Hirsch added, “You detect many, many nodules in those screenings and unfortunately, around 90% of them are benign. So you need to find out how to better distinguish malignant from benign modules. The goal of this tool is to use breath biomarkers to distinguish malignant from benign screen-detected nodules.” The study was presented at the 50th Annual Meeting of the American Society for Clinical Oncology held May 30–June 3, 2014, in Chicago (IL, USA).

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University of Colorado Cancer Center