The Kdog project led by the Institut Curie aims to develop a method for the early detection of cancerous tumors through the dog’s sense of smell. At the end of the first six months of tests, the success is total.
The Institut Curie indicated on Wednesday March 1, 2017 that the first six months of tests revealed » 100% efficiency of the Kdog protocol. After six months of training, two Malinois, Thor and Nikios, perfectly fulfilled their mission for a » 100% positive result » tests carried out on 130 female volunteers.
In this project led by experts from the Institute and dog experts and made possible by crowdfunding, the dogs are trained to » identify odorous compounds » to detect cancer on a wipe impregnated with perspiration or tissue taken from a subject.
Thanks to the success of this first phase of tests, the doors are opening for the organization of an extensive clinical study. » A request is about to be filed in this regard. », specifies the Institut Curie. The clinical study should this time last three years between 2018 and 2021 and will involve four dogs and 1,000 women. » This is to take into account a larger sample to validate the sensitivity of the Kdog project », Specifies the institute.
In addition to the two malinois already developed, two other dogs of a different breed led by another trainer will complete the study to demonstrate that the » Kdog protocol is independent of the breed of the sniffer dog and its master explained Aurélie Thuleau, a biochemical engineer involved in the project.
With this device simple », « non-invasive and inexpensive « , the Institut Curie hopes in the long term » extend this process in developing countries (…) where diagnostic tools may be lacking « . Diagnosing cancerous tumors early will also allow “ a better diagnosis, a greater choice of treatments and a greater chance of recovery “, explained Aurélie Thuleau.
If at the base, it was a question here of simplifying and anticipating the diagnosis of breast cancer, » the work team has long-term plans to extend this screening method to all types of cancer, in particular ovarian cancer « .
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