Scientists have developed technology that can detect lung cancer from a single exhalation

Chinese scientists have developed a nanosensor capable of detecting lung cancer by analyzing the level of isoprene in a person's exhaled air.

The researchers believe their discovery could lead to the development of a non-invasive and affordable early diagnostic method for the disease, which has the potential to save many lives.

When the human body breaks down fat in a process known as lipolytic metabolism of cholesterol, isoprene is released with the exhaled breath. It turns out that reduced isoprene levels may indicate the presence of lung cancer. A team led by researchers from Zhejiang University (China) utilized this understanding in their work and developed an innovative gas-sensitive material for screening processes.

The main challenge in identifying biomarkersA biomarker is a substance or characteristic that can be measured in the body. It indicates normal biological processes, diseases, or the body’s response to treatment. in exhaled air is that sensors must differentiate volatile chemical compounds, withstand the natural humidity of exhalation, and detect very small quantities of specific chemicals. In the case of isoprene, sensors need to be able to detect levels of the chemical compound in the parts per billion (ppb) range.

The researchers worked on improving indium oxide-based nanosensors to meet these criteria. After several experiments, they developed a type of metal oxide material containing platinum (Pt), indium (In), and nickel (Ni), which they named Pt@InNiOx.

The Pt@InNiOx material demonstrated extreme sensitivity, detecting isoprene levels as low as two ppb. It also responded better to isoprene than to other compounds found in exhaled air and performed consistently during testing.

These tests involved incorporating the Pt@InNiOx "nanosheets" into a portable device used by scientists with breath samples from 13 participants, five of whom had lung cancer. The sensor detected isoprene levels below 40 ppb in samples from participants with cancer and over 60 ppb in samples from participants without cancer.

According to data from the World Health Organization, 1.8 million people died from lung cancer in 2020. The new diagnostic method could significantly reduce this figure through early disease detection.

It is worth noting that the researchers' article, published in the journal ACS Sensors, reflects results from a relatively small testing group. The team noted that more work is needed before this screening method becomes commercially available: researching sensor materials, conducting further data analysis, integrating the technology into portable devices, and exploring the link between isoprene in exhaled air and lung cancer in greater depth.

Other projects aimed at cancer diagnostics based on exhaled breath analysis have been in development for several years. In 2019, the organization Cancer Research UK started research, but it appears that results have yet to be published.

Source: New Atlas