训练嗅癌犬对肺癌患者气味进行筛查的可行性研究

A feasibility study of detecting lung cancer by trained sniffer dogs

目的探讨嗅癌犬对肺癌患者气味进行筛查作为临床辅助诊断的可行性。方法把3条警犬训练为嗅癌犬，对52例肺癌患者和30例正常人进行气味鉴别，计算诊断试验的阳性率（敏感性）和阴性率（特异性），并比较3条警犬对同一受试对象进行诊断的一致性。结果一条拉布拉多犬对肺癌患者气味鉴别阳性率88．46％，对正常人群假阳性率为16．60％。2条史宾格犬对肺癌患者气味鉴别阳性率均为86．54％，对正常人群假阳性率均为20％。3只经过相同训练过程警犬对同一组肺癌患者的鉴别能力差异无统计学意义（P=0．994）。结论警犬气味筛查法可以作为肺癌临床辅助诊断的有效方法。

Objective To examine the feasibility of olfactory, detection of lung cancer by trained sniffer dogs. Methods Three police dogs, one Labrador Retriever and two Springer Spaniels, went through the same training course on detecting odor markers of cancer and were subsequently used to differentiate 52 lung cancer patients and 30 healthy subjects. The sensitivity （true-positive rate） and specificity （true-negative rate） of the olfactory detection were calculated. The consistency of the sniffing outcomes was also compared. Results The Labrador Retriever had a sensitivity of 88.46% and a false-positive rate of 16.60%. The two Springer Spaniels exhibited an equal ability to detect cancer patients with a sensitivity of 86.54% and a false-positive rate of 20%. There was no statistically significant difference between the three dogs in detecting lung cancer （P = 0.994）. Conclusion Olfactory detection of lung cancer by trained sniffer dogs may be used to assist clinical diagnosis andenhance diagnostic efficacy.