Draconator Posted January 19, 2006 Share Posted January 19, 2006 http://www.physorg.com/news9994.html Study Reveals Dogs Can Smell Cancer in Patients' Breath General Science : January 18, 2006 A new study reported by the National Geographic has revealed that dogs can detect cancer by smelling a patient’s breath. Domestic dogs can distinguish between infected lung and breast cancer patients and healthy subjects after just a few weeks training. The study was conducted by Pine Street Foundation, a California based cancer research organization. Michael McCulloch, the lead researcher of the study team said, "Our study provides compelling evidence that cancers hidden beneath the skin can be detected simply by [dogs] examining the odors of a person's breath," When diagnosed early, a cancer patient's survival chances can be greatly improved. The new study has increased hopes for cancer patients. Dogs have the ability to detect chemical traces at a range of parts per million. Separate studies conducted by other researchers have found that trained dogs can detect skin-cancer melanomas by sniffing skin lesions. Further research is on the way to prove that trained dogs can also screen for prostrate cancer by sniffing urine. Nicholas Broffman, director of the Pine Street Foundation said, "Canine scent detection of cancer was anecdotally discussed for decades, but we felt it was appropriate to design a rigorous study that seriously investigated this topic to better evaluate its effectiveness," Lung and breast cancer patients exhale patterns of biochemical markers in their breath. "Cancer cells emit different metabolic waste products than normal cells," Broffman continued, "The differences between these metabolic products are so great that they can be detected by a dog's keen sense of smell, even in the early stages of disease." The researchers trained five dogs. After inhaling breath samples from 83 people, the dogs identified 55 lung and 31 breast cancer patients. The dogs gave a positive reply by sitting or lying down in front of a test station. The research study was between 88 and 97 percent accurate. The results remained accurate even when considering whether the lung cancer patients were current smokers. Canines' sense of smell is generally 10,000 to 100,000 times superior to that of humans. Although it is not clear what makes dogs good smellers, they have a greater convergence of neurons from the nose to the brain than humans do. Moreover, the dog brain is more devoted to the sense of smell than the human brain is. Dogs may become an indespensible part of the early cancer screening process. Copyright 2006 PhysOrg.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
30dive Posted January 19, 2006 Share Posted January 19, 2006 If this is so, then it begs the question: Don't we have medical equipment that when one breaths (exhales) into that it could read the same cancer cells that emit different metabolic waste products than normal cells? Those differences between these metabolic products that are so great that they can be detected by a dog's keen sense of smell, ought to be able to be detected by one of those fancy machines that the folks over at CSI/CIA/NSA/FBI have, right? I mean this really does make sense, but if a dog can detect this, then we ought to have medical testing equipment that can read the same things. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crap Throwing Monkey Posted January 19, 2006 Share Posted January 19, 2006 If this is so, then it begs the question: Don't we have medical equipment that when one breaths (exhales) into that it could read the same cancer cells that emit different metabolic waste products than normal cells? Those differences between these metabolic products that are so great that they can be detected by a dog's keen sense of smell, ought to be able to be detected by one of those fancy machines that the folks over at CSI/CIA/NSA/FBI have, right? I mean this really does make sense, but if a dog can detect this, then we ought to have medical testing equipment that can read the same things. 573977[/snapback] Most machines that sense odors still don't approach the effectiveness of the human sense of smell, let alone a dog's. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sweet baboo Posted January 19, 2006 Share Posted January 19, 2006 why wouldn't i let a dog smell my breath? my dogs smell my breath every day and they'd better damn well enjoy it! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
30dive Posted January 19, 2006 Share Posted January 19, 2006 Most machines that sense odors still don't approach the effectiveness of the human sense of smell, let alone a dog's. 574001[/snapback] Thats not what the folks on CSI say! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crap Throwing Monkey Posted January 19, 2006 Share Posted January 19, 2006 Thats not what the folks on CSI say! 574022[/snapback] Oh, well then I must be wrong. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KD in CA Posted January 19, 2006 Share Posted January 19, 2006 I'd let a dog smell my balls if he can detect cancer from it!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BB27 Posted January 19, 2006 Share Posted January 19, 2006 Trained dogs can smell the tiniest amount of explosives, it makes sense they could smell someones breath and detect sickness. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OnTheRocks Posted January 19, 2006 Share Posted January 19, 2006 I'd let a dog smell my balls if he can detect cancer from it!! 574056[/snapback] to borrow a phrase from Alaska D....."you missed spelled "lick" by spelling it "s-m-e-l-l" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Johnny Coli Posted January 19, 2006 Share Posted January 19, 2006 It depends on what she's wearing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smokinandjokin Posted January 19, 2006 Share Posted January 19, 2006 This is relatively funny. I would love to put a white lab coat on my dog and have him give me a checkup. I'd maybe even hang a stethoscope around his neck for effect. After I breath on him: One bark = All good Two barks= The dreaded cancer Three barks= Throw the tennis ball Four barks= Stop breathing in my face Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Puhonix Posted January 19, 2006 Share Posted January 19, 2006 Actually we're doing some of this work at my lab. Some of the cancer breath specimens are sent to the dogs, and the other are cryo forzen and then run in our 9.4 Tesla ICR magnet that will identify all the components in the breath. Pretty much its a high powered super glorified Mass Spec. Then the two studies are brought back together and compared. Interesting stuff. We've got a standard schnauzer (sp) and a Munserlander Pointer. Both are AKC show dogs, and the schnauzer has won several awards. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Johnny Posted January 19, 2006 Share Posted January 19, 2006 Oh, well then I must be wrong. 574053[/snapback] do you double as the carp throwing donkey........you guys are very similar Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crap Throwing Monkey Posted January 19, 2006 Share Posted January 19, 2006 do you double as the carp throwing donkey........ No, I don't. He's one of my fans. Which kind of scares me too. you guys are very similar 574526[/snapback] No sh--, buckwheat. What was your first clue? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Johnny Posted January 19, 2006 Share Posted January 19, 2006 No, I don't. He's one of my fans. Which kind of scares me too. No sh--, buckwheat. What was your first clue? 574532[/snapback] your thoughts and ideas Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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