Breathalyser screening may help spot lung cancer early

London, August 31 (ANI): Israeli scientists have come up with a device that can help spot lung cancer molecules on the breath of patients.

Dr. Hossam Haick and colleagues at Technion-Israel Institute of Technology in Haifa think that the technology may lead to pocket-friendly, portable breath-test devices with the potential to save large numbers of lives by detecting cancer early.

"Our results show great promise for fast, easy and cost-effective diagnosis and screening of lung cancer," the Independent quoted them as having written in a research paper, published in the journal Nature Nanotechnology.

"The developed devices are expected to be relatively inexpensive, portable, and amenable to use in widespread screening, making them potentially valuable in saving millions of lives every year," they added.

For their study, the researchers took breath samples from 40 diagnosed patients and 56 healthy individuals.

They observed that the device, when tested, made an easy distinction between simulated "healthy" and "cancerous" breath made from artificial compound mixtures. (ANI)