Lung Cancer Breath Test in Clinical Trial

The University of Leicester and Glenfield Hospital in Leicester, UK, are starting a clinical trial into a gas chromatography–field asymmetric ion mobility spectrometry sensor (Owlstone Nanotech Ltd.) for the detection of early-stage lung cancer. Dr Salman Siddiqui, a clinical senior lecturer and adult chest physician at the University of Leicester and Leicester’s Hospitals, said: “Lung cancer has one of the lowest 5-year survival rates of all cancers; however, early diagnosis can greatly improve a patient’s prognosis. Current diagnostic procedures such as a chest X-ray, CT scan, and bronchoscopy are costly and not without risks so the benefits of a non-invasive, cheaper alternative are clear.”