An augmented breath test for earlier cancer diagnosis
Research type
Research Study
Full title
An Augmented Microbiome-mediated Breath Test for the Earlier Diagnosis of Oesophago-gastric Cancer (AMBEC)
IRAS ID
240076
Contact name
George Hanna
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Imperial College London
Duration of Study in the UK
1 years, 0 months, 2 days
Research summary
Summary of Research
Cancer of the stomach and oesophagus (gullet) is among the world’s top five cancers. Survival rates are very poor as the disease presents late and early symptoms are non-specific. We have developed a non-invasive test for cancers of the stomach and oesophagus based on the detection of small molecules in exhaled breath that we believe are produced by the cancer as well as gut bacteria that are associated with the cancer. Our proposed innovation is to improve the accuracy of this test by investigating whether the ingredients of simple foods can increase the production of these small molecules. It is expected that cancer and bacteria cells will break down these ingredients to produce larger amounts of the small molecules we have previously measured in the breath, therefore making it easier to detect the cancer.Summary of Results
Oesophagogastric cancer (cancer of the gullet and stomach) is the fifth most common cancer in the UK with 16000 new diagnoses made annually. Currently only 15 out of every 100 people diagnosed with this type of cancer survive beyond 5 years. The main reason for such a poor prognosis is the delay in diagnosis. In view of this, there is a clinical need to develop a non-invasive test for the early detection of oesophagogastric cancer.Previous studies performed has demonstrated that certain compounds can be detected in the breath that are elevated in patients with oesophagogastric cancer. Via this study; AMBEC, the source of such compounds and the processes via which they are produced has been successfully investigated This study has demonstrated that there are certain cancer associated bacteria and their metabolic processes contributing to VOC production. Using the findings from this study, a nutrient drink has been developed to stimulate the cancer associated bacteria to produce more compounds in the breath and therefore potentially improving the sensitivity of the breath test for oesophagogastric cancer.
REC name
London - Bloomsbury Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
18/LO/0078
Date of REC Opinion
10 Jan 2018
REC opinion
Favourable Opinion