Why is breath analysis a game changer for early cancer detection?

Given the multiple challenges associated with traditional screening approaches, the prospect that a simple breath test could transform disease detection is highly attractive to all stakeholders in healthcare. This vision is now becoming a reality, thanks to rapid advances in breath analysis technology. Companies like SpotitEarly are now using volatile organic compounds (VOCs), the chemical signals present in our breath, as powerful diagnostic tools, capable of transforming healthcare.

In this article, we’ll look into exactly what VOCs are, how they may function as biomarkers and the immense potential they hold for revolutionizing disease detection.

What are VOCs?

VOCs are small molecules released from our cells and their micro environment during various metabolic processes in the body. We can see VOCs as a chemical fingerprint, revealing critical insights into what’s happening inside us.

They are ubiquitous in our environment, appearing in indoor and outdoor air and are produced by a wide variety of plants and trees. But their detection in breath samples plays a key role in identifying certain biomarkers for various health conditions.

The VOCs found in breath are understood to originate from multiple sources:

• Metabolic activities: Cells undergoing normal or disease-driven processes release VOCs as byproducts.
• Environmental exposures: External factors such as air quality, smoking, diet and medication also influence the VOCs emitted. For example, VOCs like benzene and toluene may be present in the body as a result of exposure to air pollution.
• Microbial interactions: The microbiome — the trillions of microbes in and on our body — contributes significantly to the VOCs in our breath, offering clues about conditions such as gastrointestinal infections.

Why are VOCs important for health?

Changes in the patterns and volumes of VOCs can act as an early warning system for healthcare professionals. When the body is affected by disease, its metabolic processes and immune response jump into action, producing distinct VOC profiles. For instance, elevated acetone levels can indicate poorly managed diabetes, whilst increased levels of specific hydrocarbons may signal lung cancer.

Such unique signatures make VOCs an invaluable source of insight for making early and non-invasive diagnosis.

Breath biomarkers: A closer look

The term breath biomarkers refers to particular VOCs or their patterns, which can be analyzed to indicate specific health conditions. They are critical for transforming raw chemical data into actionable medical insights.

There are three main types of breath biomarkers.

• Metabolic biomarkers: Generated from the body’s natural chemical processes, these biomarkers often signal issues such as cancer or organ dysfunction. For example, the presence of methylated compounds may point to liver disease.
• Inflammatory biomarkers: VOCs related to inflammation, such as isoprene, help identify conditions like asthma, infections or autoimmune disorders.
• Microbial biomarkers: Changes in VOCs due to microbial activity in the gut or lungs can provide clues about infections or conditions like irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).

How do they work?

Every time you exhale, VOCs are released in tiny quantities, providing a snapshot of your body’s biochemical state. These VOCs can then be captured and carefully analyzed to identify the presence or absence of disease.

The simplicity, accessibility and non-invasive nature of breath analysis clearly sets it apart from traditional screening methods. Two key advantages are typically identified with this approach.

1. Breath biomarkers can reveal diseases before symptoms are evident, allowing for earlier interventions and better treatment outcomes.
2. Unlike blood tests or common imaging procedures, breath analysis doesn’t require needles, radiation or invasive biopsies. Patients simply breathe into a device, making it a pain and stress-free experience that everyone can undertake, anywhere.

Although SpotitEarly is primarily focused on the use of breath analysis for early cancer detection, the technique can also be applied to other fields of medicine. In diabetes management, for example, measuring acetone levels in breath maps closely with blood sugar levels, offering an alternative to finger-prick tests. Similarly, VOCs can also identify infections like pneumonia or chronic conditions like chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

Challenges and future directions

However, while the potential benefits of this approach are enormous, there are a number of key challenges in scaling breath analysis technology. Let’s look at these in detail and consider how SpotitEarly is working to address them.

Standardization: To ensure consistent results across different patients and environments, standardized protocols for sample collection, storage and analysis are essential. In response, every element of SpotitEarly’s screening process has been carefully evaluated and standardized.

Sensitivity and specificity: The accuracy of disease detection relies on the ability to distinguish specific VOCs from background signals. Professor Igal Bar-ilan of Bioforum Limited outlines how SpotitEarly is working to address this.

“Traditional analytical methods often lack the sensitivity and resolution needed for early cancer detection. SpotitEarly’s innovative approach leverages the exceptional olfactory abilities of trained canines, surpassing conventional techniques. Dogs can detect molecules at levels far beyond our traditional methods and identify characteristic scents in complex mixtures. This groundbreaking method shows immense promise in accurately identifying cancer-related VOCs, potentially leading to earlier and more reliable cancer detection. SpotitEarly is set to revolutionize cancer diagnostics with this novel approach.”

Of course, in our process this requires high quality canine partners. So training accurate, consistent and reliable dogs is certainly another key challenge we’re constantly working hard to address.

On the other hand, emerging technologies, including AI and advanced sensor design, can also significantly improve the detection capabilities of breath analysis. LUCID, SpotitEarly’s proprietary AI platform, for example, already integrates these advances and helps ensure its scalability and reliability.

Long-term, we believe that the potential for breath analysis in healthcare is immense as it offers a window into the body’s health that is simple, accurate and non-invasive. SpotitEarly is proud to be leading the charge with a pioneering Breath Test that’s making early cancer detection more accurate, accessible and affordable than ever before. By combining the innate abilities of trained dogs with advanced AI, we’re working to create a healthier future for all.

Want to learn more? Visit SpotitEarly.com and discover how we’re leading the use of breath analysis in early cancer detection.