Breath test ... early breast cancer signs could soon be detected through breath.
Last Update: Wednesday, October 4, 2006. 6:48pm (AEST)

Researchers investigate breast cancer breath test

Doctors in Perth are embarking on new research that could see the early signs of breast cancer detected in a breath test.

Professor Christobel Saunders says patients with cancer have unique compounds in their breath that when analysed can indicate they may have cancer.

The research will be conducted in Perth over the next two years, involving 300 volunteers.

Professor Saunders says if the science behind the theory is proved, it could reduce the need for mammograms.

"In normal human breath we breathe out many hundreds of things called volatile organic compounds and what they appear to do is be early warning signs for things going wrong in the body," she said.

"They can show stress in the cells and that stress can be due to compounds released by very early cancers."

But Professor Saunders says the breath test will not make mammograms obsolete.

"What we're not trying to do is replace mammography but have an addition to mammography. So there are two aspects to it," he said.

"One, we may be able to use this breath test to find out who is likely to have a normal mammogram. But secondly for women who have a mammogram which shows up an abnormality, this may be able to point very directly to whether this a cancer or not."