Canine olfactory detection
This new project - the training of dogs to detect cancer on the basis of its smell - was initiated by retired orthopaedic surgeon, Mr John Church, some two years ago. Mr Church has had a long-standing interest in the subject, arising from the publication of an anecdotal story in the Lancet in 1989.[1] This gave an account of a woman whose pet dog showed a persistent interest in a mole on her leg, prompting her to seek medical advice. When the mole was removed, it was found to be a malignant melanoma, a serious form of skin cancer. Over the intervening years, Mr Church became aware of other similar anecdotal stories, one of which he published with Dr Hywel Williams in the Lancet in 2001.[2]
Interesting though these anecdotal stories are, they do not constitute proof that dogs do have this capability. However, the notion is not, in itself, unreasonable. Dogs are, of course, renowned for their remarkable sense of smell. Moreover, cancer cells are known to produce chemical compounds which are different from those made by normal healthy cells. Some are likely to have distinctive odours and may well be detectable by dogs, even when present in minute quantities.
Following an approach by Mr Church to the Department of Dermatology at Buckinghamshire Hospitals NHS Trust, we began providing funds for this project. Our researchers, led by Dr Carolyn Willis, joined Mr Church, his children, Dr Susannah Church and Dr Martin Church, and dog trainers, Claire Guest and Andy Cook, from the charity, Hearing Dogs for Deaf People, to form a multi-disciplinary team. Together with medical statistician, Dr Noel McCarthy, they designed and carried out the first scientifically robust study which proved that dogs can be successfully trained to detect cancer. The results of the study, which used bladder cancer as a simple experimental model, have just been published in the BMJ.
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Olfactory detecting dog team
Back row: Andy Cook, Claire Guest, Martin Church.
Front row: Carolyn Willis, John Church, Susannah Church
» Please click for a larger version
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- Williams H, Pembroke A. Sniffer dogs in the melanoma clinic? Lancet 1989;1:734.
- Church J, Williams H. Another sniffer dog for the clinic? Lancet 2001;358:930.
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Related Links
See the encouraging results of our latest study published in the BJM:
» BMJ.com
Find out more about the multi-disciplinary team and their work:
» cancerdogs.org
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