VOCs Show Promise for Early Multi-Cancer Detection

Early cancer detection is critical to improving survival rates, but most current screening methods focus on individual cancer types and often involve invasive procedures. This makes it difficult to identify tumors across multiple organs at an early stage. Researchers have now demonstrated that chemical “scents” released by the body could serve as reliable markers for detecting cancer earlier and more broadly, providing a foundation for multi-cancer (pan-cancer) screening.

A team of researchers at the Hefei Institutes of Physical Science of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (HFIPS-CAS, Hefei, China) has developed a method that uses volatile organic compounds (VOCs) as potential biomarkers for cancer. For their study, the researchers established a pan-cancer mouse model by chemically inducing tumors in organs such as the lungs, stomach, liver, and esophagus. They then collected urine, feces, and odor samples over a 21-week tumor development period for detailed analysis.

Image: Schematic diagram of esophageal cancer cell identification research process (Photo courtesy of GE Dianlong)

Using headspace solid-phase microextraction gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (HS-SPME-GC-MS), the team performed non-targeted detection of VOCs. The results revealed three sets of tumor-associated compounds that reflected metabolic changes during cancer progression. The study, published in the Journal of Proteome Research, shows that VOCs could effectively distinguish tumor-bearing mice from healthy controls.

Notably, early tumor signals were detectable well before advanced cancer development, appearing in urine at week 5, in odor at week 13, and in feces at week 17. These findings suggest that VOCs can act as early indicators of tumor activity, offering new opportunities for non-invasive screening. The study provides an important experimental framework for applying VOC-based biomarkers in future pan-cancer research.

This approach has the potential to expand screening beyond single cancers, enabling detection across multiple organs simultaneously. If adapted for human use, it could support earlier interventions and reduce reliance on invasive tests, making screening more accessible and effective. Future research will focus on refining VOC detection methods and translating these findings into clinical applications.

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