Friday, October 4, 2019
Dogs have a very sensitive sense of smell. By being trained, they are able to detect certain diseases, in particular breast cancer.
A new way to get tested
The month of October is dedicated to the fight against breast cancer, in particular thanks to the 26th edition of the association “Le Cancer du Sein, Parlons-en!” Every year, women are sensitized and encouraged to get tested. Between 1998 and 2018, the number of breast cancer cases in France doubled reaching nearly 60,000. It is today the first female cancer.
While the gynecologist is usually the only way to screen for breast cancer, a new solution may soon emerge. Researchers say that the smell of dogs could detect this cancer.
Dogs capable of detecting the disease
Research shows that dogs can detect many types of cancer in humans. Cancers leave specific traces, or scent marks, in the body and bodily fluids. Thus, cancer cells, as well as healthy cells affected by cancer, produce and release these particular odors.
Targeted training sessions help train dogs. They are then able to detect the smell of cancer. These volatile compounds are not perceptible by humans. The dog could, for his part, from a compress soaked in sweat, confirm the presence of cancer cells by insisting on a particular compress. In 2017, a test carried out on 70 patients detected the disease 9 times out of 10 on the first visit and 10 times out of 10 on the second. This could prevent women from radiation emitted during mammograms.
Stephanie Haerts
Read also : Seniors: adopting a dog helps keep your heart healthy
