Cardiothoracic surgery F1
MD MBA MSc
Colorectal cancer is a leading cause of cancer related death in Europe and the USA. There is no universally accepted effective non-invasive screening test for colorectal cancer.
The gold standard investigation for suspected colorectal cancer is colonoscopy. An emerging number of studies demonstrate the potential value of exhaled volatile organic compounds as a diagnostic and triaging test for colorectal cancer.
Volatile organic compounds are a subtype of metabolites and are linked with oxidative stress or cell membrane peroxidation. They can be detected in several types of biological samples such as faeces, urine, serum, sputum and breath. Cancer is a metabolic disease that uses cellular metabolic changes to maintain a high rate of proliferation.
Wherever those volatile organic compounds are produced they can reach the pulmonary system where they are exhaled allowing for an objective method of measurement.
