According to Michigan State University researchers, honeybees may be able to develop a new form of cancer screening. Honeybees can detect chemicals associated with lung cancer in human breath. In their study, the honeybees were able to sniff out human lung cancer biomarkers with remarkable success rate of 82%. The study has been published in the Journal, Biosensors and Bioelectronics.
“These results indicate that the honeybee olfactory system can be used as a sensitive biological gas sensor to detect human lung cancer,” the study authors wrote. MSU professor Debajit Saha and his team sought to determine whether honeybees could distinguish chemicals in a healthy person’s breath from that with lung cancer. He and his team worked to develop a recipe for a synthetic breath mixture combining six Compounds present in the breath of lung cancer patient and a synthetic healthy breath mixture.
The researchers placed each live bee in a custom 3D-printed harness and then attached a tiny electrode to its brain for measuring activity. Those odors on the antenna of honeybees were passed and recorded the neural signals from the brain. The researchers found that the bees were able to detect cancer-indicating Compounds even in small amounts. Bees were able to differentiate between minute changes in the compound concentrations of the breath mixture. They found that the bees were able to tell the difference between synthetic lung cancer breath and healthy breath.
With this research, the researchers hope that this will lead to the development of a sensor based on a honeybee brain that can be used to test human breath for lung cancer detection. Early detection of high-risk lung cancer can reduce death rate by up to 20%.
The information shared in this blog is for educational purposes only. Please consult with your healthcare provider for any medical needs.
Subscribe to our newsletter or follow us on Facebook or Twitter today and never miss out an update!