New breathalyser can identify deadly stomach cancers in minutes

A breath test has been developed that could give instant diagnosis of two of the most deadly cancers.

The test for cancers of the stomach and the oesophagus, or gullet, can give a diagnosis with 90 per cent accuracy and takes just minutes. Conventional lab tests can take as long as six hours.

The test also prevents the need for an endoscopy – which involves patients having a probe pushed down their throat – and could save the NHS up to £145million.

To be tested, patients simply breathe into a device that looks like a breathalyser, which picks up distinctive odours produced by cancerous tumours. Imperial College scientists, who developed the test, say it can discriminate between malignant and benign cancers in patients for the first time.

A trial involving more than 200 patients has produced promising results, and there are now plans for a larger trial involving three hospitals in London. The news comes after researchers in Israel reported a similar breakthrough in April. They are also proposing large-scale trials.

Cancer of the stomach and the oesophagus make up 15 per cent of all cancer deaths. Both are usually diagnosed in the advanced stages because they rarely cause any noticeable symptoms early on. Long-term survival rates in the UK are 13 per cent for oesophageal cancer and 15 per cent for gastric cancer.

An endoscopy is used to diagnose both types of the disease but only two per cent of patients who are referred for the procedure by GPs are diagnosed.

Follow NEWS.am Medicine on Facebook and Twitter