Technion’s NaNose catches lung cancer 90% of the time

[Sally]

This appears to be a great device since it will allow people to get treatment sooner.

Technion’s NaNose catches lung cancer 90% of the time

The nanotech-based detection system is ready for the market, based on the results of a study by researchers

BY DAVID SHAMAH June 19, 2014

A cancer-detection technology that “sniffs out” malignant tumors is set to be commercialized, after a study showed that a device based on the Technion-developed “NaNose” system successfully detected lung cancer in patients with up to 90 percent accuracy. At the heart of the device — which looks like a “breathalyzer,” usually used to detect alcohol levels — is a chip based on the NaNose technology

By detecting the special “odor” emitted by cancer cells the NaNose system can detect the presence of both benign and malignant tumors much more quickly, efficiently and cheaply, said Dr. Hossam Haick of the Technion, who helped develop the technology. “Current cancer diagnosis techniques are ineffective and impractical.” NaNose technology, he said, “could facilitate faster therapeutic intervention, replacing expensive and time-consuming clinical follow-up that would eventually lead to the same intervention.”

Read more:

Technion's NaNose catches lung cancer 90% of the time | The Times of Israel

 

[MHunterB]

I'm very glad to read about a breakthrough that is likely to save many lives. I suppose you don't realize that tens of thousands of people have some kind of 'lesion' or 'spot' in a lung - and with current technology, all that can be done is WAIT to see if it's growing and how fast. Doing a biopsy on a less than 1/2" object in the lungs is not a simple or easy process - which is why it's seldom done unless there are other indications.....

This technology would enable people to find out a lot sooner if they did have cancer - and improve their chance of survival considerably.

And for the tens of thousands whose 'lesion' is benign - it would release them from one anxiety a lot sooner.

How can that be anything but good?