A world-first study to determine whether a medical breathalyser can detect lung cancer before it becomes malignant is about to begin in Brisbane.
The revolutionary Breathscanner was developed by Australian researcher Dr Michael Phillips, who is now based in the US as professor of clinical medicine at New York Medical College.
It has already been proven to detect established lung cancer cases but researchers at Royal Brisbane Hospital are hoping to refine the system so that it can reliably predict the disease in its earliest stages.
"One of the clinical signs that a doctor has is a patient's (breath) smell or the odour, and this just takes it to an extreme level," RBH specialist Dr David Fielding told National Nine News.
"When you have the breath test, you'll just be quietly breathing in and out just like that for two minutes."
The machine detects volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in the breath to a sensitivity of parts per trillion, which is literally billions of times more sensitive than alcohol breathalysers used by police.
A mobile gas chromatography and mass spectroscopy analyse the VOCs in a matter of minutes, and a new version of the machine is being developed that can conduct the analysis in real time.
But it is the possibility of detecting minute traces of mutated cells rather than established tumours that most excites the medical community — and research participant Maureen Rava.
Ms Rava was recently diagnosed with cancer but counts herself as lucky: a tumour so small it couldn't be seen on a scan or x-ray was picked up by the Breathscanner, which means her treatment is simple "¦ and her prognosis good.
"I know what the ravages of cancer are and if it can save me that grief, then great" she said.
Researchers estimate that it will take three to five years before a cancer breath test is part of an annual check-up regime, but all involved are committed to making it a reality as soon as possible.
"Oh, I'll go all the way — whatever he requires us to do," Ms Rava said.
"The more that we can find at this early stage, the more cures that we'll be able to effect," Dr Fielding added.
For more information, watch Matt Dunstan's report on the Brisbane National Nine News bulletin tonight at 6pm (AEST).
By ninemsn staff
© Nine Digital Pty Ltd 2018