Call for an instant quote 0345 90 80 161
Open Mon to Fri 09:00 - 17:30 | Sat 09:00 - 16:00 (GMT)
12 February 2015 09:57
Could a simple breath test detect lung cancer?
People could soon detect whether they have lung cancer using a simple breath test.
The hand-held device, which will begin clinical tests in two NHS hospitals, could be available to GPs by 2017.
The Lung Cancer Indicator Detection (LuCID) device finds chemical clues in patients' breath which can show they may have the illness.
Whether travellers have survived cancer or have another long-term condition it is wise to take out pre-existing medical travel insurance.
What its co-creator says
The LuCID device is made by Owlstone, an offshoot of Cambridge University.
The company's co-founder Billy Boyle told Sky News the device could be available to family doctors in two years' time.
He said the device's software chips are programmed to detect the different chemical markers and tell-tale signs which characterise abnormal, cancerous cells.
He said the aim is to save 10,000 lives through the device.
Lung cancer symptoms
• breathlessness
• coughing that persists for over three weeks
• unexplained weight loss
• blood in the mucus or phlegm
• pain
• wheezing on one half of the chest, so that sleeping becomes difficult on this side
As many as 35,000 people die from lung cancer every year and more than 41,000 patients are detected with the disease annually.
21 July 2017
Researchers have claimed that 1 in 3 dementia cases could be prevented were people to make certain changes to their lifestyles.
[more...]
20 July 2017
A report has criticised survival rates in the UK for a number of cancers.
19 July 2017
A leading expert in health inequality has called for 'urgent investigation' after increases in life expectancy stalled in recent years.
18 July 2017
People following a so-called Mediterranean diet rich in oily fish, fresh vegetables and nuts have a lower risk of suffering dementia.
15 July 2017
If you often put in extra hours at work you may want to think again.
14 July 2017
Researchers have highlighted a link between tall men and aggressive cases of prostate cancer.
13 July 2017
More than three-quarters of long-term carers feel stressed by their role, according to a new report.
12 July 2017
Want to live a longer life? Try drinking more coffee - so say researchers.
11 July 2017
More people are diagnosed with cancer than those who are getting married each year, new research suggests.
08 July 2017
Heading off on holiday this summer? Don't forget your sunnies.
07 July 2017
Startling new figures have underlined the dementia challenge facing the country.
06 July 2017
When it comes to embarking on a new life or buying a holiday home in the sun, Spain is king among Brits.