Did you know that simple breath test with the use of technology known as nano-array analysis can detect stomach cancer?
So how do this work?
The technology detects chemical compounds in people’s breath, to distinguish unique “breath prints” in people with risky pre-cancerous changes.
Experts are saying that if this technology is proven in large trials, it could spot patients on the brink of cancer so they can be treated earlier.
But more work is needed to validate the test.
Researchers are saying that there are currently no reliable steps to find the progression of the disease. Also, there are no non-invasive screening techniques for the detection of stomach cancer exist.
detection of stomach cancer exist.
The benefit of this test is based on its non-invasiveness, predictiveness, low-cost and ease of use according to experts and researchers.
Explanation
Breath samples from almost 500 people, with approximately 1 in 5 diagnosed with stomach cancer, but have not yet undergone treatment. Examination of these samples showed a clear difference between the cancer patients and those not suffering from the disease.
The researchers first analyzed breath samples of the participants with the help of a technique called GCMS. GCMS measures several unstable organic compounds in a person’s exhaled breath. Another breath test was conducted, with nanoarray analysis that was combined with pattern recognition.
GCMS’s results showed that patients with stomach cancer and without the disease had unique “breath prints.”
GCMS identified 130 instable organic compounds in the exhaled breath of individuals. It also showed the intensity of 8 organic compounds with a significant difference in participants who have stomach cancer compared to those who were at risk of the cancer.
The nanoarray analysis also accurately distinguished between different pre-cancerous phases, marking out patients who were at a low or high risk of getting gastric cancer.
The capability of nanoarray analysis to accurately identify people who are at low or high risk will avoid unnecessary endoscopies. Medical personnel and doctors will also be able to monitor progression of the disease with the help of the breath analysis.
Stomach cancer is not very common but it is normally confused with other gastric problems. The disease is left undetected and undiagnosed until the late stages where survival factor of the patient is reduced. A simple breath analysis will help thousands of individuals get screened for stomach cancer during the early stages.
