A simple breath could become the most effective way to save human lives: a team of scientists has created a nanotechnological sensor that promises to revolutionize the early diagnosis of lung cancerThe device is able to detect even microscopic traces of a substance called isoprene, paving the way for a future where detecting cancer will be as easy as breathing.
Isoprene, the key to everything
When our body metabolizes cholesterol, it releases a chemical called isoprene in the breath. Researchers at theZhejiang University They found that a decrease in isoprene levels could indicate the presence of lung cancer. This insight led to the development of an innovative gas-sensing material.
Identifying biomarkers in breath presents several technical challenges: the developed system had to be able to distinguish between different volatile chemical compounds, withstand the natural humidity of exhaled breath, and detect minute amounts of specific substances. In the case of isoprene, we are talking about concentrations in the order of just two parts per billion.
The researchers achieved this by perfecting sensors containing platinum, indium and nickel, called Pt@InNiOx. This material has demonstrated extraordinary sensitivity.
The first promising tests
The team embedded the sensor into a portable device, testing it on 13 participants, five of whom had lung cancer. The results? They were pretty clear: the device detected isoprene levels below 40 parts per billion in samples from cancer patients, and above 60 parts per billion in healthy participants.
Early diagnosis, the impact on global health
According l 'World Health Organization, in 2020 lung cancer caused 1,8 million deaths worldwide1. A non-invasive, low-cost early diagnosis method could save countless lives by detecting the disease before symptoms appear.
It is true that the study, published in the journal ACS Sensors (I link it here), is based on a still relatively small group of tests. The researchers acknowledge that there is still much work to be done: to study the sensing materials in more depth, analyze more data, integrate the technology into portable devices, and investigate the relationship between isoprene in breath and lung cancer in more depth. We will follow future developments with confidence and hope.
The future of early diagnosis
Other breath-based cancer diagnosis projects have been underway for several years. Cancer Research UK has started a long and important study in 2019: unlike the one covered in this article, the group of patients involved is much larger, to the point that the results have not yet been published. This new technology could pave the way for further research in breath analysis for the early diagnosis of various pathologies.
The challenge with detecting biomarkers in breath is that the system must be able to differentiate between volatile chemicals, withstand the natural moisture of exhaled breath, and detect tiny amounts of specific substances.
This innovation represents a significant step towards more democratic and accessible medicine. A breath test is much less invasive and expensive than traditional diagnostic techniques, and could be easily implemented even in areas with limited resources: a breath of fresh air for global health!
