Can dogs really detect cancer? A Montreal study aims to find out
A joint study by the University of Montreal's Faculty of Veterinary Medicine and the Institut Curie in Paris will test whether dogs can really detect the smell of cancer or even COVID-19, as some experiments have suggested.
These experiments have offered some hope that a dog could one day be asked to sniff a patient's breath to check for lung cancer or to walk through an airport looking for COVID-infected passengers based on the smell of their sweat.
In a systematic review of these studies, however, the Quebec and French researchers found that these results were based on very small samples and that the dogs may have fooled the humans.
“The study was not conducted in a blind or randomized condition, so the dog or another person in the room with him had an influence on how quickly he understood what was expected of him," said Dr. Eric Troncy of the University of Montreal's Faculty of Veterinary Medicine.
The researchers now want to conduct a double-blind, randomized study, which means that no participant will be informed of the nature of the sample that is presented to the dog.
“We believe strongly in the dog's olfactory capacity, but we have to guide it," said Troncy. “We have to teach him that in the odours that he will sniff, there is a whole palette of odours that are negatives. And so we're trying to expose dogs to thousands of samples by making them understand that, ‘This is not a smell I want you to mark, this is the one.’”
The researchers hope to be able to improve the dog's selectivity, thus its ability to not mark negative samples.
The study, which is one of ten projects receiving a total of nearly $1 million in funding from the Royal Canin Foundation, is still in its early stages. The clinical trial will be conducted in accordance with Health Canada standards, as the researchers must obtain the cooperation of various hospitals to obtain samples; this will require the green light from the ethics committees of these institutions.
They will also need to be able to get confirmation of the diagnosis from a doctor, such as a mammogram in the case of breast cancer, to see if the dog was right or not.
TRAINING
The Faculty of Veterinary Medicine at the University of Montreal will be developing a training course for all dog-training professionals interested in doing medical detection with their working dogs. The training is expected to consist of approximately seven modules and last approximately 180 hours.
“The training will be given online and in equal parts by French and Quebec collaborators," said Troncy.
Various delays encountered along the way, some of which were associated with the coronavirus pandemic, allowed the researchers to refine their experiment a bit, particularly to avoid the flaws they perceived in previous experiments.
Among other things, they decided to use dogs that are not totally 'naive'.
“We will work with dogs that have already been trained in olfactory detection," explained Troncy. “These are dogs that are trained to detect money, to detect deli meats, to detect drugs, et cetera. After that, what we're doing is re-immersing the dog in medical detection.”
The researchers also decided to focus on COVID-19 detection, given the “urgency of the situation.”
The first cohorts of dogs are currently being trained and the first results are expected early next year.
- This report by The Canadian Press was first published in French on Oct. 21, 2021.
Correction
An earlier version of this story said the project was receiving $1 million in funding from the Royal Canin Foundation. It is in fact one of 10 projects to receive an overall total of $1 million in funding.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Solar storm puts on brilliant light show across the globe, but no serious problems reported
A powerful solar storm put on an amazing skyward light show across the globe overnight but has caused what appeared to be only minor disruptions to the electric power grid, communications and satellite positioning systems.
'It was violent': Police tear down U of A pro-Palestinian encampment Saturday morning
Multiple people at the protest camp torn down at the University of Alberta campus Saturday say police's actions against protesters were "violent" and "disproportionate."
'I am angry': Alberta farmers will continue fight over world class motorsport resort
The rolling hills leading to the hamlet of Rosebud are dotted with sprawling farms and cattle pastures -- and a sign sporting a simple message: No Race Track.
'My family doctor just fired me': Ontario patients frustrated with de-rostering
Dozens of Ontarians are expressing frustration in the province’s health-care system after their family doctors either dropped them as patients or threatened to after they sought urgent care elsewhere.
Potentially toxic chemicals hide in our drinking water and countless household objects, and they're not going anywhere
For decades, North Bay, Ontario's water supply has harboured chemicals associated with liver and developmental issues, cancer and complications with pregnancy. It's far from the only city with that problem.
Suspect sought after fatal slashing in downtown Toronto
Police are searching for a suspect in a homicide investigation after a man was slashed in downtown Toronto on Sunday.
Canada Post cracks down on Nunavut loophole to get free Amazon Prime shipping
Amazon's paid subscription service provides free delivery for online shopping across Canada except for remote locations, the company said in an email. While customers in Iqaluit qualify for the offer, all other communities in Nunavut are excluded.
'Increased fire activity' expected for Fort Nelson, B.C., blaze
A wildfire near Fort Nelson, B.C., that forced thousands to flee their homes grew almost 800 hectares overnight Saturday, according to officials.
Blinken delivers some of the strongest U.S. public criticism of Israel's conduct of the war in Gaza
Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Sunday delivered some of the Biden administration's strongest public criticism yet of Israel's conduct of the war in Gaza, saying Israeli tactics have meant "a horrible loss of life of innocent civilians" but failed to neutralize Hamas leaders and fighters and could drive a lasting insurgency.