Exhaled volatile organic compounds in patients with non-small cell lung cancer: cross sectional and nested short-term follow-up study.

Abstract

BACKGROUND:

Non-invasive diagnostic strategies aimed at identifying biomarkers of lung cancer are of great interest for early cancer detection. The aim of this study was to set up a new method for identifying and quantifying volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in exhaled air of patients with non-small cells lung cancer (NSCLC), by comparing the levels with those obtained from healthy smokers and non-smokers, and patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. The VOC collection and analyses were repeated three weeks after the NSCLC patients underwent lung surgery.

METHODS:

The subjects' breath was collected in a Teflon bulb that traps the last portion of single slow vital capacity. The 13 VOCs selected for this study were concentrated using a solid phase microextraction technique and subsequently analysed by means of gas cromatography/mass spectrometry.

RESULTS:

The levels of the selected VOCs ranged from 10(-12) M for styrene to 10(-9) M for isoprene. None of VOCs alone discriminated the study groups, and so it was not possible to identify one single chemical compound as a specific lung cancer biomarker. However, multinomial logistic regression analysis showed that VOC profile can correctly classify about 80% of cases. Only isoprene and decane levels significantly decreased after surgery.

CONCLUSION:

As the combination of the 13 VOCs allowed the correct classification of the cases into groups, together with conventional diagnostic approaches, VOC analysis could be used as a complementary test for the early diagnosis of lung cancer. Its possible use in the follow-up of operated patients cannot be recommended on the basis of the results of our short-term nested study.

• Authors: Diana Poli, Paolo Carbognani, Massimo Corradi, Matteo Goldoni, Olga Acampa, Bruno Balbi, Luca Bianchi, Michele Rusca, Antonio Mutti
• Journal: Respiratory research (Respir Res) Vol. 6 Pg. 71 (Jul 14 2005) ISSN: 1465-993X [Electronic] England
• PMID: 16018807 (Publication Type: Controlled Clinical Trial, Journal Article, Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't, Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.)

Chemical References

• Biomarkers, Tumor
• Organic Chemicals

Topics

• Aged
• Biomarkers, Tumor (analysis)
• Breath Tests (methods)
• Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung (diagnosis, metabolism)
• Cross-Sectional Studies
• Exhalation
• Female
• Follow-Up Studies
• Humans
• Lung Neoplasms (diagnosis, metabolism, surgery)
• Male
• Middle Aged
• Organic Chemicals (analysis)
• Reproducibility of Results
• Sensitivity and Specificity
• Smoking (metabolism)
• Statistics as Topic
• Treatment Outcome
• Volatilization