Lung cancer is the “second most common cancer" diagnosed, says the Doctors in America. It has also been noted as the reason behind most number of deaths, which makes its early recognition and treatment very relevant. The recognition of early stages of lung cancer through CT and PET scans has been faulty and costly. This is when researchers brought in canines to the picture. Dogs with their accurate sniffing skills were introduced to smell and made to detect even early stages of cancer. Study was conducted by researchers training 4 beagles for a period of 8 weeks. After the training period, 3 dogs were tested by giving them blood samples collected from individuals with non-small cell lung cancer and a set of blood samples obtained from healthy individuals. And they successfully detected the cancer with 97.5% specificity, and 96.7% sensitivity. “Right now, it appears dogs have a better natural ability to screen for cancer than our most advanced technology. Once we figure out what they know and how, we may be able to catch up." Says Prof. Thomas Quinn.
