Dogs can smell volatile organic compounds (VOCs) released into the urine by prostate tumors with an accuracy of 98 percent.
The finding suggests that dogs can be used to detect prostate cancer early-on, an American Urological Association news release reported.
Humans have about five million olfactory cells in their noses while dogs have a whopping 200 million. Canines are often used by the military and law enforcement to sniff out bombs or guns; this study suggests their keen sense of smell could also have medical applications.
Dogs have already proven to be able to predict seizures and detect breast and lung tumors. In 2010 a study suggested dogs could also smell prostate cancer, but the study was small and limited.
Researchers looked at the ability of dogs to sniff out traces of cancer in 677 patients that were split into a cancer group and a control group. The cases in the prostate cancer group ranged from "very-low risk to metastatic," the news release reported.
Researchers form several Italian institutions, including Humanitas Research Hospital and Humanitas Castellanza, participated in the study.
The dogs were then put to the test to see if they could accurately determine the VOCs in the urine.
The test shows: "Dog one's rate of accuracy was 99 percent. Sensitivity was 100 percent and specificity was 98 percent"; and "dog two's rate of accuracy was 97 percent. Sensitivity was 99 percent and specificity was 96 percent," the news release reported.
"These data show analysis of volatile organic compounds in urine is a promising approach to cancer detection," Brian Stork, M.D., a urologist at West Shore Urology, said in the news release. "The possibility of using dogs identifying cancer is something most would never have considered possible a decade or two ago. It's an interesting concept that 'man's best friend' could help save your life."
