A whiff of the future.
by Sandra A. Swanson
Imagine a Breathalyzer-type device that could detect cancer in its earliest stages, by smell alone without invasive blood draws and body scans. It's not a new idea. Centuries ago, Hippocrates linked patients' musty breath with liver disease. And a handful of studies suggest that dogs, with their sensitive snouts, can be trained to sniff out tumors.
This puff-of-air diagnostic tool isn't a pipe dream. It already exists, courtesy of iSense, a company founded by Kenneth Suslick, PhD '78, and Paul Rhodes, MS '83.
"Cancer cells are a little different in their metabolism," Rhodes explains. Their rapid reproduction creates byproducts, some of which are airborne, producing a distinct odor undetectable by humans.
Preliminary results of a study conducted by the Cleveland Clinic suggest that the iSense device can correctly diagnose early-stage lung cancer in three out of four patients. Other health conditions that might be put to the smell test include pulmonary disease, diabetes and kidney disease. In addition to health care, the technology could have implications for homeland security, food safety and more. Rhodes expects iSense's medical-diagnostic device will be commercially available in 2011. "Every doctor's office on earth could end up having one," he says.
more
No comments:
Post a Comment