Your Breath and Cancer

A study published in October 2012 shows that what is in your breath may be helpful in distinguishing between benign and malignat lung cancer . The reseachers analyzed the exhaled volatile organic compounds form patients who had pulomonary nodeules then underwent resection of the nodule for final diagnosis . The technique not only ewas able to distinguish between benign and malignat nodules but could differentiate between adenocarcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma , in addition the test could determine if the lesion was early or late stage.The conclusion was that in the future clinicians could use exhaled breath test to descriminate between benign and malignate nodules and reduce the rate of false positives detected by x-ray. In addition this procedure could minimize thew risk of morbidity related to invasive diagnostic procedures as well.