Lung tissue is very fragile , allowing disease to spread out quickly . As with all cancers , early detection for lung cancer is decisive to long - terminus selection . Lung canceris the number one cause of cancer death , regardless of gender or ethnicity . Unfortunately , diagnose lung genus Cancer involves extensive imagination , biopsy , and sputum cytology , which are n’t performed until after the patient becomes diagnostic . However , a raw diagnostic tool could diagnose lung cancer in a much less incursive mode , using only a sample of the patient ’s breathing space . The research was present at the meeting of the American Society for Clinical Oncology in Chicago .

The gimmick is calledNanoscale Artificial NOSE ( NA - NOSE)and use gold nanoparticles to observe compounds in the breath that suggest lung genus Cancer . Not only that , but it could also detect how ripe the disease is . This twist was revolutionize by the power ofdogs , fruit flies , and other organism to “ sniff out ” disease .

In one of the most recent study , thedevice was testedon a 80 individuals with lung cancer and 31 citizenry with chronic obstructive pulmonic disease ( COPD ) . COPD is non - cancerous , but can impede breathing and lead to a persistent cough . NA - NOSE was able to correctly differentiate between those with lung cancer and those with COPD around for about 85 % of the trials . It was also 79 % accurate in determining the stage of the Crab . Other studies with the gimmick have show like results .

While some at a higher risk for developing lung Cancer the Crab have received yearly CT screenings , the images are unable to determine cancerous growths versus those that are benignant . This results in a cracking pot of false positives which are only predominate out later after more invasive examination has been complete . While this method does trip up more cases of lung cancer , it also puts a tremendous amount of stress on those who do n’t have cancer , as well as taking up their clock time and money . Over the span of five years , it is estimated that annual CT screenings will cost the John Cash - strapped Medicare$9.3 billion .

In the future , NA - NOSE could bring home the bacon like other detection screening as CT at a much cheaper rate with fewer false positives . result would also be available almost immediately , and will not require a physician to be specialise for operate on the machine or see the results . The patient role would simply waste up a balloon , which the medical professional person would then take and run through the twist , which is about the size of a desktop computer .

The researchers behind NA - NOSE claim that the applications of the gimmick can continue beyond espial of lung cancer . It could also be used to detect other medical maladies , have uses in native land security , and supervise compound in the surroundings as well .

[ Header image “ Carcinoid tumor L. hilum ” by Yale Rosen via flickr , used in accordance withCC BY - SA 2.0 ]