HEALTH FACTS for April 20, 2009 "Dogs Can Smell Cancer"

Dogs can smell cancer in humans. Cancer-education and research centers around the world have published studies showing it was possible to train dogs to identify which patients have lung or breast cancer, based on breath samples. Cancer cells emit different metabolic waste products than normal cells and this is what the dogs can smell.
It has also been proven that dogs also have the ability to detect skin cancer melanomas by sniffing skin lesions.
Research centers are also working on dogs detecting ovarian and prostate cancers by smelling human urine.
Research has been ongoing since 1989. Dogs can be trained to detect these cancers in the early stages 88% to 97% of the time.