Dogs can smell cancer...

New research out of the UK has found proof that your 4 legged friend can smell cancer. If that is the case, screening might be radically changed when dogs are trained to sniff out tumors that might have previously gone undetected. I wonder how small or large the cancer mass has to be before dogs can pick up on it, and does the depth of the tumor matter? It started when dogs were thought to be able to detect the urine of prostate cancer patients. Speculation has been running rampant for a few years. Now, aparently, there is proof of the phenomena and how it works.

It makes sense though, as cells dividing might give off a chemical signature that can be distinguished from surrounding cells.

It's also been thought that dogs can smell oncoming seizures: www.dinner-movie.com...

Could a family dog become the best prevention tool around in the future?

My 4 legged friend is a cat, not a dog.

The fact that some dogs may smell some types of cancer (do not forget that there are lots of types) does not make them a prevention tool, just a diagnose aid.

Well prevention in the sense that they can predict oncoming seizures, and if they can smellc ancer, they can prevent deaths that come from not being diagnosed until too late. If they can smell cancer cells, what other kinds of cells might they be able to detect? Bacteria that causes food poisoning? Bad prions?

Also, if dogs can detect these things, can electronic noses do the same?

Originally posted by RedBalloon
Also, if dogs can detect these things, can electronic noses do the same?

That reminds me of something I saw on TV some weeks ago about a electronic nose, but I can not remember where.

Oddly enough, I saw a Ripley's Believe It Or Not! episode on this years ago....

Originally posted by RedBalloon
New research out of the UK...

Originally posted by Gazrok
Oddly enough, I saw a Ripley's Believe It Or Not! episode on this years ago...

Gazrok beat me to it...

I was gonna say that this is nothing new. I too have seen this on TV for quite a few years as well...

Breath Test For Lung Cancer

An electronic nose can identify people with lung tumours simply by sniffing their breath. While some cancer experts are sceptical, the creators of the e-nose at the University of Rome hope it could lead to the development of a simple breath test for the early detection of the disease.

Electronic nose sniffs out lung cancer

The difference between then and now is that now it's been aparently proven that they can sniff out cancer. Until now it was mainly speculation and 'ain't it cool' but there were no concrete treatments or accepted techniques.

edit: hilite

[edit on 23-9-2004 by RedBalloon]

This isn't "new" research though.....it's been going on for a few years now!

abcnews.go.com...
www.dogsinthenews.com...

Yeah, I thought it was pretty cool that they can do this. Everyone knows that they drugs and bombs, but this one beats 'em all. Here's the link I read it on.
"Man's best friend" is an seriously flawed understatement IMHO!
It should "Man's Lifesaver" now.

yes it's good to hear about the potential for canine cancer screening but i have to say i worry about privacy invasion.

how long before we have to strip to our underwear as part of a "routine" exam and then have a wet nose sniff us for depression, or high cholesterol, or heart disease?? gues what? it's already happened [with depression] in a few schools.