TY - JOUR
T1 - The scent of colorectal cancer: detection by volatile organic compound analysis
AU - de Boer, Nanne K. H.
AU - de Meij, Tim G. J.
AU - Oort, Frank A.
AU - Ben Larbi, Ilhame
AU - Mulder, Chris J. J.
AU - van Bodegraven, Adriaan A.
AU - van der Schee, Marc P.
PY - 2014
Y1 - 2014
N2 - The overall metabolic state of an individual is reflected by emitted volatile organic compounds (VOCs), which are gaseous carbon-based chemicals. In this review, we will describe the potential of VOCs as fully noninvasive markers for the detection of neoplastic lesions of the colon. VOCs are detected by our sensory olfactory nerves and form the molecular basis for our sense of smell. As such, we emit our own individual odor fingerprint or so-called smellprint. This may change over time in response to any alteration in metabolism such as modifications caused by gastrointestinal infection, inflammation, external factors such as medication and diet, or development of neoplastic disease such as colorectal cancer. This means that analysis of VOCs can provide a fully noninvasive metabolomics biomarker profile that could be used as a diagnostic tool. Thus far, canine scent detection, gas chromatography-mass spectrometry, and electronic nose technologies allow for discrimination between patients with and without colorectal cancer and also its precursor (advanced adenoma) with promising accuracy. The challenge for future research is to identify specific biomarkers driving these signals. This enables the development of primed sensors tailored toward accurate identification of volatiles specific to colorectal cancer and adenomas. Such a technique may allow noninvasive monitoring of response to therapy and could revolutionize screening practices for colorectal cancer and potentially many other gastrointestinal diseases
AB - The overall metabolic state of an individual is reflected by emitted volatile organic compounds (VOCs), which are gaseous carbon-based chemicals. In this review, we will describe the potential of VOCs as fully noninvasive markers for the detection of neoplastic lesions of the colon. VOCs are detected by our sensory olfactory nerves and form the molecular basis for our sense of smell. As such, we emit our own individual odor fingerprint or so-called smellprint. This may change over time in response to any alteration in metabolism such as modifications caused by gastrointestinal infection, inflammation, external factors such as medication and diet, or development of neoplastic disease such as colorectal cancer. This means that analysis of VOCs can provide a fully noninvasive metabolomics biomarker profile that could be used as a diagnostic tool. Thus far, canine scent detection, gas chromatography-mass spectrometry, and electronic nose technologies allow for discrimination between patients with and without colorectal cancer and also its precursor (advanced adenoma) with promising accuracy. The challenge for future research is to identify specific biomarkers driving these signals. This enables the development of primed sensors tailored toward accurate identification of volatiles specific to colorectal cancer and adenomas. Such a technique may allow noninvasive monitoring of response to therapy and could revolutionize screening practices for colorectal cancer and potentially many other gastrointestinal diseases
U2 - https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cgh.2014.05.005
DO - https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cgh.2014.05.005
M3 - Article
C2 - 24823289
SN - 1542-3565
VL - 12
SP - 1085
EP - 1089
JO - Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology
JF - Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology
IS - 7
ER -