REVEALED: The ultra-sensitive breath test that can detect lung cancer by examining key changes in the air we breathe out

An ultra-sensitive breath test could detect lung cancer by analyzing chemical changes in the air we breathe out, a study suggests.

Researchers have developed small sensors that can distinguish important changes in the breathing of people with the disease.

It has already been established that a decrease in one exhaled chemical – isoprene – can indicate the presence of lung cancer.

However, to detect such small shifts, a sensor would have to be very sensitive and able to detect isoprene levels in the parts per billion range.

Building on previous efforts, the team from Zhejiang University Polytechnic Institute in China developed small ‘nanoflake’ sensors containing platinum, indium and nickel.

Lung cancer has one of the lowest survival rates of all cancers, which is largely attributed to lung cancer being diagnosed at a late stage (file image)

Tests showed that the sensor responded more to isoprene than any other chemical commonly found in breath, and was able to detect isoprene levels as low as 2 parts per billion – a sensitivity that far exceeded previous sensors.

To test the device, they exposed it to the breath previously collected from thirteen people, five of whom had lung cancer.

The device successfully detected isoprene levels of less than 40 parts per billion in samples from the participants with cancer and more than 60 parts per billion from cancer-free participants.

This sensor technology could be a breakthrough in non-invasive lung cancer screening and has the potential to improve outcomes and even save lives, the researchers said.

Writing in the journal American Chemical Society Sensors, they said: ‘This study presents a novel nanoflake isoprene sensor that achieves an exceptionally low detection limit of 2 parts per billion, the lowest reported to date for isoprene sensors.

‘In particular, it exhibits high selectivity and remarkable anti-humidity ability, meeting the stringent requirements for lung cancer screening.

“Our work not only provides a breakthrough in low-cost, non-invasive cancer screening using breath analysis, but also advances the rational design of advanced gas detection materials.”

In Britain, around 35,000 people die from lung cancer every year.

Researchers have developed tiny sensors that can distinguish important changes in the breathing of people with the disease (file image)

This sensor technology could represent a breakthrough in non-invasive lung cancer screening

It has one of the lowest survival rates of all cancers, which is largely attributed to the fact that lung cancer is diagnosed at a late stage, when the chance of treatment is much lower.

Treating cancer early improves people’s chances of survival: 60 percent of people currently survive stage 1 cancer for five years or more and 4 percent survive stage 4.

Last year, the government announced it would roll out lung cancer screening to people aged 55 to 74 with a history of smoking, in a bid to detect cancer earlier and speed up diagnosis.

Current tests may include a chest X-ray, a CT scan, and a PET-CT scan.