Exhaled Breath Analysis of Lung Cancer Patients Using a Metal Oxide Sensor

Abstract

Exhaled breath gases include gases generated in the body. When there is disease in the body, exhalation can include gas components from the disease. If we can find these specific elements through analysis of the exhalation gases, this can be an effective way to diagnose the disease. The lung has a close relationship with exhalation. Lung cancer refers to malignant tumors which originate in the lungs. Exhalation from the lung causes direct jets of gas to be ejected through the mouth and nose, so by analyzing these jets it may be possible to diagnose lung cancer. In our study we attempt to diagnose lung cancer from patient's exhaled gases. Exhalation of lung cancer patients was analyzed using gas chromatography-mass spectroscopy(GC-MS) and the expiratory gas was also measured using a sensor system. The system was designed to use a metal oxide sensor and solid phase micro extraction(SPME) fiber. The GC-MS analysis of the healthy subject's and cancer patient's exhalation gases both showed the presence of decane in the breath of patients with lung cancer. In addition, the results from the sensor system showed significant difference between the lung cancer patients and the healthy subjects.