New breath test ‘could aid stomach cancer detection’

An international study has been carried out to assess the potential benefits of a breath test for use in the diagnosis of stomach cancer.

Scientists from Israel and China have conducted experiments using nanoparticle sensors that are able to detect biomarkers associated with specific stomach complaints or types of cancer in exhaled air.

After taking breath samples from 130 patients with a range of different conditions, it was found that the sensors delivered a success rate of more than 90 percent in differentiating between cancers and more benign conditions.

This suggests this test could prove a useful alternative to endoscopies, which are expensive, time-consuming and unpleasant for patients.

Professor Hossam Haick, lead researcher from the Technion – Israel Institute of Technology, said: "If found to be accurate enough, the nanomaterial breath test presents a new possibility for screening a population for stomach cancer, which would hopefully lead to earlier diagnosis of the disease."

According to data from Cancer Research UK, around 8,000 people are diagnosed with stomach cancer in the UK each year.