New research from an international team of scientists — and two specially trained dogs — have scientifically validated the ability of man’s best friend to “sniff out” or detecting prostate cancer in men more accurately than the electronic nose (e-nose), an artificial sensing device used to detect odors and flavors. The study was presented during a virtual press session, which was moderated by American Urological Association (AUA) spokesperson, Stacy Loeb, MD, a urologic oncologist at New York University Langone Health and the Manhattan Veterans Affairs.
For decades, law enforcement and the military have used dogs to help locate bombs and drugs. It should be no surprise that a dog’s intricate sense of smell has captured the interest of the medical world. In recent years, new findings have emerged to indicate dogs are capable of accurately detecting the onset of epileptic seizures as well as malignancies of the breast and lung.
While humans have roughly five million olfactory cells in their noses, dogs have about 200 million. While it is still unknown what the dogs are actually able to smell, researchers do believe they are able pick up the odor of volatile organic compounds (VOCs), which are released into the urine by prostate tumors.
Study Details Researchers investigated the level of accuracy at which two highly-trained explosion detection German Shepard dogs in detecting prostate cancer-specific VOCs in urine samples compared to a new type of e-nose specifically developed to detect prostate cancer.
The study consisted of 126 participants who were placed in one of two groups: a prostate cancer group (n=66) and a control group (n=60). The prostate cancer group was exclusive to men with prostate cancer, ranging from early-stage to late-stage disease. The control group included both men and women, some of whom had cancer, some who did not, but no one within the control group had prostate cancer.
Results showed:
· The two dogs were successful in detecting prostate cancer VOCs in the urine of the study subjects with an accuracy of nearly 98%. Sensitivity and specificity for each German Shepard were nearly 99% and 98%, respectively;
· The e-nose was successful in detecting prostate cancer with an accuracy of 84%. Sensitivity and specificity were 85% and 82%, respectively
· When only men aged 45 years were considered, the two dogs were able to detect prostate cancer with an accuracy of nearly 99% while the e-nose had an accuracy level of 82%.
“We all know the sense of smell is a superpower for dogs,” Loeb says. “Seeing this superpower put to the test against advanced technology is fascinating. In a world full of technology, it appears dogs are better able to naturally screen for prostate cancer than our most advanced technology. Hopefully, science and technology can learn more from them in the near future and finally catch up.”
The full abstract of this study can be viewed at auajournals
Featured image: New study shared during the 2021 American Urological Association Annual Meeting highlights how man’s best friend can ‘out sniff’ technology in detecting prostate cancer in men. Photo: American Urological Association