INTRODUCTION & OBJECTIVES: Cancer detection using sniffer dogs is a potential technology for clinical use and research. Here weevaluate the ability of highly-trained dogs’ olfactory system to detect Biochemical Recurrence (BCR) in men after undergoing radicalprostatectomy for prostate cancer (PCa).MATERIAL & METHODS: One hundred-fourteen consecutive men with clinical localized PCa undergoing radical prostatectomy betweenNovember 2011 and May 2013 were investigated. For each patient urine and serum samples were collected prior to radical prostatectomy,forty-five days and every six months during the successive follow-up (mean: 28 months; median: 28 months; range 19-37 months). Twodogs were trained to sit when they detected PCa specific volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in the urine samples.RESULTS: Preoperatively, both dogs were able to detect PCa specific VOC's in the urine samples of men with PCa with 100% accuracy.Forty-five days post-radical prostatectomy, 104 (91.2%) patients had a serum prostate-specific antigen (PSA) levels < 0.01 ng/ml, 6 (5,2%)patients had a serum PSA levels >0.01 but < 0.2 ng/ml and 4 (3,5%) patients had a serum PSA > 1 ng/ml. Forty-five days following surgery,neither dog detected prostate cancer specific VOC's in the urine samples of the 104 men with a serum PSA level <0.01ng/ml. Both dogsdetected PCa specific VOC's in samples collected from 2 out of 6 men with PSA levels >0.01ng/ml and <0.2ng/ml and both dogs were ableto detect VOC's in the samples each of the four men with PSA levels >1ng/ml (i.e. persistent disease). During the successive follow up 9 of110 patients (8.1%) had BCR. Both dogs were able to detect PCa VOC's in the urine samples of 7 of these 9 patients (77.7%).CONCLUSIONS: Highly trained dogs are able to detect BCR in men who have previously undergone radical prostatectomy alone for PCa.Our understanding of the use of the canine olfactory system in PCa detection continues to evolve.

HIGHLY-TRAINED DOGS' OLFACTORY SYSTEM FOR DETECTING BIOCHEMICAL RECURRENCE FOLLOWING RADICAL PROSTATECTOMY

Buffi N;Guazzoni G;
2016-01-01

Abstract

INTRODUCTION & OBJECTIVES: Cancer detection using sniffer dogs is a potential technology for clinical use and research. Here weevaluate the ability of highly-trained dogs’ olfactory system to detect Biochemical Recurrence (BCR) in men after undergoing radicalprostatectomy for prostate cancer (PCa).MATERIAL & METHODS: One hundred-fourteen consecutive men with clinical localized PCa undergoing radical prostatectomy betweenNovember 2011 and May 2013 were investigated. For each patient urine and serum samples were collected prior to radical prostatectomy,forty-five days and every six months during the successive follow-up (mean: 28 months; median: 28 months; range 19-37 months). Twodogs were trained to sit when they detected PCa specific volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in the urine samples.RESULTS: Preoperatively, both dogs were able to detect PCa specific VOC's in the urine samples of men with PCa with 100% accuracy.Forty-five days post-radical prostatectomy, 104 (91.2%) patients had a serum prostate-specific antigen (PSA) levels < 0.01 ng/ml, 6 (5,2%)patients had a serum PSA levels >0.01 but < 0.2 ng/ml and 4 (3,5%) patients had a serum PSA > 1 ng/ml. Forty-five days following surgery,neither dog detected prostate cancer specific VOC's in the urine samples of the 104 men with a serum PSA level <0.01ng/ml. Both dogsdetected PCa specific VOC's in samples collected from 2 out of 6 men with PSA levels >0.01ng/ml and <0.2ng/ml and both dogs were ableto detect VOC's in the samples each of the four men with PSA levels >1ng/ml (i.e. persistent disease). During the successive follow up 9 of110 patients (8.1%) had BCR. Both dogs were able to detect PCa VOC's in the urine samples of 7 of these 9 patients (77.7%).CONCLUSIONS: Highly trained dogs are able to detect BCR in men who have previously undergone radical prostatectomy alone for PCa.Our understanding of the use of the canine olfactory system in PCa detection continues to evolve.
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Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/11699/4764
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