Posted on Tuesday, 19th October 2010 by Brooke Richmond
Every year, millions of American women have mammograms as a first line defense to detect breast cancer. Now, there’s a new test that can “sniff out” breast cancer on-the-spot! Instead of checking your breasts, it checks your breath.
Carol Witcher says her dog knew something was wrong before she did.
“He looked at me strangely and pushed and snorted my right breast and pushed and snorted and pushed and snorted. And I’m thinkig something’s not right!” Every year, millions of American women have mammograms as a first line defense to detect breast cancer. Now, there’s a new test that can “sniff out” breast cancer on-the-spot! Instead of checking your breasts, it checks your breath.
Carol was diagnosed with breast cancer, and a new breath test confirmed it.
The test measures organic compounds expelled from the lungs, and identifies those linked to breast cancer.
“The big difference is now you go in you get your breast crushed and they do a radiological test. What this does you just breathe into it and we measure just from the breath.” said Charlene Bayer, PhD, of Georgia Tech Research Institute
A pilot study shows the test was 77-percent accurate in distinguishing cancer. For mammograms, the success rate is 80-percent. For women, this means potentially instant screening.
Dr Sheryl Gabram, of Emory University says it promises to be an important new tool.
“Very exciting to potentially put this in the primary care physicians office as again a direct read system where a patient could be told right away yes, it looks like something’s there, go and get your mammogram earlier, ” she said.
The breath test is still experimental and researchers say it will probably never replace the mammogram. Still, it may allow earlier intervention for high risk women, as well as breast cancer screening to women in developing countries.
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Tags: Breast Cancer, Cancer
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