Dogs Can Sniff Cancer: Can technology replicate it? (Post #4)

Hi! Welcome back to the Spiramen Founder's Blog! Today we will be discussing a new diagnostic technology for cancer - one inspired by man's best friend - a dog!

Have you ever heard that dogs know when their owners are sick? I've heard it, and it seems this is true for the sickness cancer as well! This is far from being magic, though. Dogs "know" because of their ability to smell tiny volatile organic compounds called VOCs. VOCs are released in the breath, urine, and blood of people afflicted with cancer. When tested in controlled conditions, dogs have been able to sniff these compounds at very high rates. The most promising studies suggest that they can detect VOCs up to 96% of the time!

Scientists are trying to replicate this amazing ability through technology. To do this, they have created electric noses. These "e-noses" use both AI and specialized chemical sensors to recognize the same VOC patterns that dogs do.

This technology is still in the testing stage. In the UK, a trial for a urine-focused e-nose is currently underway. In other parts of the world, startups are attempting to use similar technology to screen breath samples. One large study showed this method to have around 94% accuracy.

If clinical trials are successful, in a few years this technology may be used in hospitals and clinics for easy, non-invasive detection. Since these VOC markers usually appear before cancer symptoms do, this diagnostic method may lead to early detection, which is key to better recovery.

Thanks for reading this week's post! Sorry for the break over the past two weeks; I had finals at school and didn't find time to write posts. I'll see you again next week with more exciting cancer-related news!

Image Citations:

K9MD. “Dog Sniffing Samples to Detect VOCs,” K9MD, asset.turboweb.co.nz/80/cache/file/9noe098o36kzbrks18tx/c1fcf889ad94035331b94cf273d8d9cf/Weta+at+scent+plate.jpg. Accessed 9 Jan. 2026.

Information Citations:

“Study Shows Dogs Can Accurately Sniff out Cancer in Blood.” Science Daily, 19 Apr. 2019, www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2019/04/190408114304.htm.

Pacelli, Alessandra. “E-Nose Inspired by Dogs Begins UK Cancer-Detection Trial - Dogs Today Magazine.” Dogs Today Magazine, 11 Nov. 2025, dogstodaymagazine.co.uk/2025/11/11/e-nose-inspired-by-dogs-begins-uk-cancer-detection-trial/. Accessed 9 Jan. 2026.

Rosen, Meghan. “Dogs Team up with AI to Sniff out Cancer.” Science News, 23 Dec. 2024, www.sciencenews.org/article/dogs-cancer-artificial-intelligence-ai.