Machine 'sniffs' skin cancer

A common form of skin cancer can be diagnosed by a specific chemical "smell" that it radiates, US experts say.

The Monell Center in Philadelphia sampled the air directly above the carcinoma cells, and found it to be different from similar samples taken from healthy skin cells. They said the finding opens up the opportunity for a less painful and cheaper test.

All human skin secretes chemicals called "volatile organic compounds" , many of which do not smell.

Skin cancer is very dangerous.Photo: BBC.

The team at Monell Center used technology called mass spectrometry to determine the exact composition of these chemicals.

About 22 patients, 11 people with and 11 people without epithelial cancer, were tested. All gas samples had the same composition, but patients with cancer had a number of different chemicals worth tell.

Dr. Michelle Gallagher, announcing the results at the annual meeting of the American Chemical Society, said it was possible to create "charts" of the cancer in this way.

"Our findings someday allow doctors to scan and diagnose skin cancer at a very early stage," she said.

Now she is planning to chart other forms of skin cancer, including more dangerous forms than malignant melanoma.