Today’s Solutions: November 22, 2024

We’ve shared before about how dogs can be trained to sniff out certain cancers, but now, researchers have discovered a way to use AI and machine learning to detect cancers in much the same way. 

Researchers from the University of Pennsylvania are using AI to decipher the mixture of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) coming off cells in blood plasma samples of cancer patients. The ”e-nose” system uses nanosensors to detect VOCs and in trials, the device was able to detect early and late-stage ovarian cancer with 95 percent accuracy and pancreatic cancer with 90 percent accuracy.

What’s most impressive is that the machine was trained to differentiate between healthy and cancerous samples in just 20 minutes. The researchers hope that if scaled up, the technology could aid in rapid cancer detection even in remote areas. The efficacy of the system with ovarian and pancreatic cancer is significant as these are some of the most difficult cancers to detect. 

Source study: ASCO, Penn

Solutions News Source Print this article
More of Today's Solutions

This Canadian didn’t want to fly from Germany to Canada—so he took a cargo ship

When Will Vibert’s European work visa was closing in on its expiration date, the Canadian was reluctant to travel back to Vancouver via plane. ...

Read More

Simple movement is connected to better brain health in older adults

It goes without saying that practicing regular exercise offers plentiful benefits for our overall health, but as we age, engaging in the same exercise ...

Read More

Passive cooling techniques reduce AC strain by up to 80 percent

In the summer months, many of us are of two minds: we’re dying to keep it cool, but we’re also dying not to spend ...

Read More

Making windows bird-friendly: a crash course on protecting our feathered friends

In 1990, Michael Mesure was on the way to a wildlife rehabilitation center. Among his passengers was a common yellowthroat, a colorful warbler that ...

Read More