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From VOA Learning English, |
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this is the Health Report. |
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Bladder cancer is the ninth most common cancer in the world, |
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an estimated 12 million new cases are found every year. |
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Now, researchers say they have developed a "scent device" |
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that can identify the disease. |
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The device is called the OdoReader, |
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it has a sensor that finds chemicals |
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in the gases released by urine. |
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The device takes about 30 minutes |
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to analyze the odors in a urine sample, |
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to find if a person has bladder cancer. |
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The Institute of Biosensor Technology at the University of |
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the West of England in Bristol developed the device. |
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Chris Probert at the University of Liverpool |
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was part of a team that tested it. |
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Mr Probert says the results are highly accurate. |
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"This data set is very strong: 96-100 percent accuracy. |
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We think we are right for the next study |
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to show that it is reproducible and then, hopefully, |
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we can talk to industry about making a box |
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that people can buy for use in surgeries and hospitals." |
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Researchers tested the OdoReader on 98 urine samples. |
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24 of them were from patients known to have bladder cancer, |
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74 were from people who had bladder infections, |
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but not bladder cancer. |
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The device identified everyone of the patients who had bladder cancer. |
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Mr Probert says researchers in other labs |
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are developing sniffing devices to diagnose stomach cancer, |
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another common disease worldwide. |
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Researchers say the OdoReader is like a dog's nose. |
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An earlier study showed that dogs could be trained |
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to detect bladder cancer based on the odor of urine. |
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However, the dog's noses was not nearly as reliable as the new device. |
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Mr Probert says the scent device could someday be used |
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to monitor the health of workers in industries |
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like rubber and insulation manufacturing. |
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"There's quite a burden of cancer in those employees. |
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And so, occupational health in those places of work |
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could help their employees by taking a urine sample, |
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much as they are doing now |
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but with much more accuracy with our machine." |
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Bladder cancer is now found by looking for the blood in the urine. |
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Mr Probert says researchers have not yet identified |
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which gases in urine make the scent unique to bladder cancer. |
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But he says they are working on that. |
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They are also working on other odor reading devices |
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to diagnose other cancers, including those of the uterus and colon. |
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The journal PLoS ONE, from the Public Library of Science |
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published an article by Chris Probert and his colleagues on the OdoReader. |
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And that's the Health Report from VOA Learning English. |
