Pathophysiology of SARS-CoV-2 Infection in the Upper Respiratory Tract and Its Relation to Breath Volatile Organic Compounds.

Among the many products of metabolic processes are volatile organic compounds (VOCs). In the airways, these volatile metabolites are emitted through breathing and thus are easily sampled for analysis. Recent work has connected the functions and structure of the human microbiome with health and disease.

Breath analysis of cancer in the present and the future.

Most of the currently used diagnostics for cancerous diseases have yet to meet the standards of screening, as they are insufficiently accurate and/or invasive and risky. In this review, we describe the rationale, the progress made to date, and the potential of analysing the exhaled volatile organic compounds as a pathway for enabling early diagnosis of cancer and, therefore, for achieving better clinical prognosis and survival rates. The review highlights the major advancements made in this field, from fundamentals, up to translational phases and clinical trials, with a special emphasis on sensing platforms based on nanomaterials.

Associations of diet and lifestyle factors with common volatile organic compounds in exhaled breath of average-risk individuals.

Background: Detection of diseases via exhaled breath remains an attractive idea despite persisting gaps in understanding the origin of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and their relationship with the disease of interest. Data on factors potentially influencing the results of breath analysis remain rather sparse and often controversial. In this study, we aimed to investigate the associations of common VOCs in exhaled breath of average-risk individuals with socio-demographic and lifestyle factors, medical conditions as well as diet.

Synergy between nanomaterials and volatile organic compounds for non-invasive medical evaluation.

This article is an overview of the present and ongoing developments in the field of nanomaterial-based sensors for enabling fast, relatively inexpensive and minimally (or non-) invasive diagnostics of health conditions with follow-up by detecting volatile organic compounds (VOCs) excreted from one or combination of human body fluids and tissues (e.g., blood, urine, breath, skin).

Differentiation between genetic mutations of breast cancer by breath volatolomics.

Mapping molecular sub-types in breast cancer (BC) tumours is a rapidly evolving area due to growing interest in, for example, targeted therapy and screening high-risk populations for early diagnosis. We report a new concept for profiling BC molecular sub-types based on volatile organic compounds (VOCs). For this purpose, breath samples were collected from 276 female volunteers, including healthy, benign conditions, ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) and malignant lesions.

Volatile fingerprints of cancer specific genetic mutations.

Unlabelled: We report on a new concept for profiling genetic mutations of (lung) cancer cells, based on the detection of patterns of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) emitted from cell membranes, using an array of nanomaterial-based sensors. In this in-vitro pilot study we have derived a volatile fingerprint assay for representative genetic mutations in cancer cells that are known to be associated with targeted cancer therapy. Five VOCs were associated with the studied oncogenes, using complementary chemical analysis, and were discussed in terms of possible metabolic pathways.

Classification of lung cancer histology by gold nanoparticle sensors.

Unlabelled: We propose a nanomedical device for the classification of lung cancer (LC) histology. The device profiles volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in the headspace of (subtypes of) LC cells, using gold nanoparticle (GNP) sensors that are suitable for detecting LC-specific patterns of VOC profiles, as determined by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry analysis. Analyzing the GNP sensing signals by support vector machine allowed significant discrimination between (i) LC and healthy cells; (ii) small cell LC and non-small cell LC; and between (iii) two subtypes of non-small cell LC: adenocarcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma.

Sniffing the unique "odor print" of non-small-cell lung cancer with gold nanoparticles.

A highly sensitive and fast-response array of sensors based on gold nanoparticles, in combination with pattern recognition methods, can distinguish between the odor prints of non-small-cell lung cancer and negative controls with 100% accuracy, with no need for preconcentration techniques. Additionally, preliminary results indicate that the same array of sensors might serve as a better tool for understanding the biochemical source of volatile organic compounds that might occur in cancer cells and appear in the exhaled breath, as compared to traditional spectrometry techniques. The reported results provide a launching pad to initiate a bedside tool that might be able to screen for early stages of lung cancer and allow higher cure rates.