Project description
Patient breath analysis for the detection of colon cancer
Volatile organic compound (VOC) detection in patients’ breath is emerging as a non-invasive method for the timely diagnosis of cancer. The EU-funded CanSENS project aims to develop a non-invasive cost-effective breath analysis sensor platform for early-stage colon cancer detection, using surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS). The objectives include the fabrication of a prototype SERS sensor, the development of a numerical chemometric model to identify VOCs of colon cancer, and clinical validation using breath samples of cancer patients and healthy individuals. SERS-based chemometric analysis of the patients’ breath samples will provide a further understanding of the complex relationship between the VOC profile and colon cancer occurrence.
Objective
Conventional techniques for detecting colon cancer (CoC), such as colonoscopy, are invasive, costly, and time-consuming. Volatile Organic Compound (VOC) detection in patients’ breath, has emerged as a new non-invasive method to diagnose and assess cancer at early stages. The CanSENS project aims at the development of a non-invasive and cost-effective breath analysis sensor platform for early-stage CoC screening, based on Surface-Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy (SERS). The proposed objectives include the fabrication of a prototype SERS sensor with high sensitivity, selectivity, and specificity; the development of a numerical chemometric model to identify the target VOCs of CoC; and clinical validation via breath samples of cancer patients versus healthy individuals, allowing multivariate analysis. These objectives will be achieved by incorporating novel single-dimensional nanomaterials for strong and quantitative SERS signal, which will further enhance the Raman sensing capabilities. In order to increase the overall sensing surface area of the device (i.e. the SERS ‘hot spots’) and enable the detection of VOCs at low concentrations, the nanostructures will be self-assembled into networks using state-of-the-art printed electronic techniques, including dielectrophoresis. SERS-based chemometric analysis will be performed on patients’ breath samples, providing an understanding of the complex relationship between the VOC profile and CoC occurrence. This project is multidisciplinary and includes aspects of engineering, chemistry, and clinical diagnostics. The fellow will work closely with experts in both academic and clinical sectors, for the development of a universal breath analysis platform that can potentially be expanded to detect other cancers.
Fields of science
Not validated
Not validated
- natural scienceschemical sciencesorganic chemistryvolatile organic compounds
- medical and health sciencesclinical medicineoncologycolorectal cancer
- engineering and technologyelectrical engineering, electronic engineering, information engineeringelectronic engineeringsensors
- engineering and technologynanotechnologynano-materials
- natural sciencesphysical sciencesopticsspectroscopy
Programme(s)
Funding Scheme
MSCA-IF - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Individual Fellowships (IF)Coordinator
1678 Nicosia
Cyprus