Dog Uses Scent to Detect Early Signs of Bowel Cancer

Does a dog’s nose know best? Recent research suggests yes! In a Japanese study conducted last month, a trained canine successfully detected early signs of bowel cancer in more than 9 out of 10 cases. Previous studies have yielded similar results with dogs sniffing out prostate, skin, bladder and lung cancer.

The latest study, reported in the journal Gut, involved breath and stool samples from people with bowel cancer. Marine, an 8-year-old Labrador, was presented with five samples, one with cancer cells and the other four without. She correctly identified the cancer sample 33 out of 36 times when smelling the patients’ breath, and 37 out of 38 times when smelling the stool samples.

Researchers say it may be difficult to use dogs to find cancer in clinical practice, due to the expense and time necessary for training. However, they hope the studies will help identify cancer-specific organic compounds that create the smell that dogs notice. Once that organic compound is determined, scientists could potentially create an electronic equivalent to a dog’s nose to test for early signs of cancer.

As of now, human science lags behind canines, when it comes to detecting cancer. “Only the dog knows the true answer,” says Dr. Hideto Sonoda from Kyushu University to a BBC reporter. “The specific cancer scent indeed exists, but the chemical compounds are not clear.”

More on the power of animal sniffing:
Rats Who Save Lives
Dogs Sniffing Out Bed Bugs

Read more: Cancer, Health

Disclaimer: The views expressed above are solely those of the author and may not reflect those of
Care2, Inc., its employees or advertisers.

Paula L.

3:41PM PST on Jan 26, 2012

If I recollect from an article I read a number of years ago that dogs can detect over 1,200 different scents in one breath and anaylze each one into a certain perspective of okay, not okay, do or not do, etc. Much to be learned about animals. They are great teachers.

send a green star

Brenda T.

10:56AM PDT on Jul 17, 2011

Yes, I have known about this for some time.

Peggy P.

11:09AM PDT on Apr 4, 2011

Dogs are simply a blessing!!!

Frederico D.

3:10AM PDT on Apr 3, 2011

Os cães.

Shawn P.

8:12AM PDT on Mar 19, 2011

Very interesting....a dogs nose knows :)

Barbara E.

1:40PM PST on Feb 20, 2011

Interesting and noted

Gita S.

9:44AM PST on Feb 16, 2011

The dogs should not get infected after sniffing so many patients.

Sheila D.

4:58PM PST on Feb 13, 2011

Dogs are very smart, very intuitive. Training the dog isn't as hard as getting the samples to train with. Let's hope this is the next step towards finding a cure for cancer, as finding it sooner saves more lives.

1:28PM PST on Feb 11, 2011

Just another reason why dogs are superior!!!!!!!

Susanne R.

9:12PM PST on Feb 10, 2011

Dogs truly are man's best friend! They can be trained to perform a multitude of functions that ensure our well-being. They sniff out bombs and drugs. They assist the blind and people with other types of disabilities. They find people who've gone missing. Their comforting presence has been known to fight depression, calm anxiety, and reduce high blood pressure. And, like doctors of years gone by who would accept a chicken or a dozen eggs in exchange for their services, they make house calls and would be happy to provide their services for a few Snausages!