Dogs can be trained to detect bowel cancer in human samples, researchers revealed today.
Trained labradors were able to detect signs of the disease in human breath as well as body samples, according to a report in the journal Gut.
The dogs were especially successful in identifying people with early stage disease, the Japanese researchers say.
The findings come from 74 tests undertaken by the dogs. Each test involved five samples – only one of which was cancerous.
They showed 95 per cent accuracy, according to Dr Hideto Sonoda, Department of Surgery, of Kyushu University, Fukuoka, Japan.
Dr Sonoda says the findings suggest that cancers release specific chemicals – which could be detected by sensors, rather than dogs.
Meanwhile the British government launched the first of its promised campaigns to raise awareness of the symptoms of cancer.
Some seven weeks worth of adverts will run in the east of England and the south west for seven weeks.
Health minister Paul Burstow said it was an "embarrassing" topic – but people could save their lives by telling a GP if something changed.
Deborah Alsina, of Bowel Cancer UK, said: "We hope that the campaign will encourage members of the public to recognise the symptoms of bowel cancer and act on them right away by making an appointment to see their GP so that the disease can either be ruled out or treated quickly."
Gut Online First Doi: 10.1136/gut.2010.218305
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