Early Detection of Malignant Mesothelioma Using Breath Testing Device
Researchers from The University of South Wales, Australia, have developed a device that will detect the malignant mesothelioma in its early stages in the patients. They have called the device as “an electronic nose”.
Mesothelioma is a rare form of cancer that is caused by asbestos, which is a heat-resistant mineral commonly used in construction. Malignant Mesothelioma is a form of tumor that takes the life of about 20,000 people annually.
This carbon polymer array electronic nose has been designed to differentiate between the benign and malignant mesothelioma, which a significant aspect of this device.
In the study of this device, published in the European Respiratory Journal, researchers took breath samples from 20 patients of malignant mesothelioma, 18 patients of asbestos related diseases and 42 control subjects. The device detected the disease correctly in 88% of cases.
“If you catch it earlier your chances of actually giving people the right treatment to stop it spreading are actually better,” said Deborah Yates, Associate Professor and study team leader.
“We tried to exclude the other asbestos diseases because it’s very important from a patient’s point of view that you don’t pick up something that is a benign asbestos disease, so that you don’t diagnose them with something that’s not actually a problem.”
Last year researchers from University of Bari in Italy and the University of Amsterdam in The Netherlands presented a device, Cyranose 320, to detect malignant mesothelioma from the breath.
In that study, researchers worked on 39 people; 13 patients of pleural mesothelioma, 13 patients of asbestos related diseases and 13 people with no known asbestos exposure. Researchers found 80% correct results from the breath testing device.
(Image Credit: UNSW)
Follow Technorati