Can Trained Bio-Detection Dogs Diagnose Hemangiosarcoma?  

THE PROBLEM: Hemangiosarcoma is an aggressive form of cancer in dogs with a high mortality rate, with almost all 100% fatality at 2 years post diagnosis, even with aggressive treatment. Developing tools that may eventually aid in early diagnosis would markedly improve clinical outcomes and could have wider impacts on the field of canine health as a precedent for novel avenues of canine cancer detection. 

THE PROJECT: In the last 10 to 20 years the use of biomarkers for early disease detection has expanded rapidly. One group of biomarkers gaining attention are volatile organic compounds (VOCs). As their name implies, these biomarkers are released into the air, where they can be detected as specific odors. Dogs have long been recognized for their ability to detect scents that elude human perception, and their use in the detection of disease has exploded in recent years. In this project, researchers will see if dogs can discriminate between blood samples from dogs with hemangiosarcoma, and sick and healthy dogs without hemangiosarcoma.  

POTENTIAL IMPACT: If successful, these results could be a first step toward future diagnostic tools. The results also will aid in our understanding of odor profiles as a diagnostic tool for canine cancer.