Scientists discover that a breath test could detect blood cancer, as demonstrated in past studies on lung cancer.

Molecules exhaled in the breath could help detect blood cancer , according to new research from Queen Mary University of London, published in HemaSphere.

Previous studies have demonstrated the usefulness of breath tests for detecting lung cancer. However, "no one had investigated whether cancer cells in the blood release molecules into the breath, even though the purpose of breathing is to exchange substances between the blood and the breath," commented Dr. John Riches, clinical associate professor at the Barts Cancer Institute at Queen Mary University of London.

The research team used breath biopsy technology developed by Owlstone Medical to collect exhaled breath from 46 people with blood cancer and 28 healthy individuals. They then analyzed the chemical signature of the breath, looking for tens of thousands of molecular fragments using a technique called mass spectrometry.

Researchers have shown that people with high-grade lymphoma, an aggressive type of blood cancer that affects the lymphatic system, have significantly higher levels of certain molecules in their breath compared to healthy people. These include molecules produced when fats in cells are damaged by a process called oxidative stress , which is known to influence cancer development.

The "simplicity, affordability, and portability" of breathalyzers, compared to conventional diagnostic methods, also means they could be used anywhere in the world, the researchers noted. This could especially benefit low-resource settings that lack access to scanners or specialized histology personnel and facilities, such as those in rural areas or developing countries.

"In the future, instead of sending patients for expensive scans and waiting for the results, doctors could perform a rapid breath test in their office and potentially get the results in seconds," said Dr. Riches.

However, the authors acknowledge that more research is needed to develop an effective breath test for blood cancer.

In this regard, the team will work to better understand the biology that regulates the production of airborne molecules detected in patients' breath and which specific types of lymphoma are most reliably detected with this method. This will facilitate the development of more specific and sensitive tests , which researchers hope can reduce the 10 minutes currently required for breath sampling to just a few seconds.

*This content was rewritten with the assistance of artificial intelligence, based on information published by Europa Press, and reviewed by the journalist and an editor.