'A dog is the only thing on the planet that knows what the smell of cancer is
Daily Express|August 12, 2024
Meet super-sniffers that spot tumours
Hanna Geissler
'A dog is the only thing on the planet that knows what the smell of cancer is

IT took less than a second for Hetty to decide if a urine sample came from a patient with bowel cancer.

Moving swiftly down the line, she dismissed the first three with a sniff but stood to attention at the fourth.

Trainer Mark announces her indication then co-ordinator Steve confirms that the sample came from a patient at Hull NHS Trust with advanced stage four bowel cancer.

A clicker marks positive reinforcement and Hetty - a fox-red Labrador - is rewarded with a treat.

The six-year-old super-sniffer is in the latest class of pooches taught to identify the odour of disease by Medical Detection Dogs, and the Daily Express observed the charity's work at its Milton Keynes base.

A dog's sense of smell is up to a million times more powerful than a human's and Hetty is part of a team of six learning to identify the scent of bowel cancer.

Their efforts will initially confirm if it can be detected in human urine.

If so, data collected during the training could provide crucial insights into the compounds the dogs are smelling, which in turn could be targeted using diagnostic technology.

Denne historien er fra August 12, 2024-utgaven av Daily Express.

Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.

Denne historien er fra August 12, 2024-utgaven av Daily Express.

Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.

FLERE HISTORIER FRA DAILY EXPRESSSe alt
Howe backs ex-Toon Anderson for England
Daily Express

Howe backs ex-Toon Anderson for England

EDDIE HOWE is convinced Elliot Anderson is destined for an England call-up soon - despite Newcastle selling him for just £15million last summer.

time-read
1 min  |
November 09, 2024
THE I WANT TOP JOB AT UNITED ONE DAY
Daily Express

THE I WANT TOP JOB AT UNITED ONE DAY

Van Nistelrooy is content to help Amorim turn Reds around but says:

time-read
2 mins  |
November 09, 2024
Elephant Mary is the queen of clean
Daily Express

Elephant Mary is the queen of clean

ASIAN elephant Mary indulges in some clean living watched by scientists who hailed her the \"queen of showering\".

time-read
1 min  |
November 09, 2024
UK's silly knee-jerk reactions
Daily Express

UK's silly knee-jerk reactions

THE DETROIT car repair shop owner shook his head impatiently at the British TV reporter, who'd just asked him, almost incredulously, how America could have elected \"a man like Trump\" as its 47th president.

time-read
1 min  |
November 09, 2024
Nurse, 58, died after just two doses of weight-loss injection
Daily Express

Nurse, 58, died after just two doses of weight-loss injection

A HOSPITAL bed manager died after two low doses of a weight-loss injection that was recently approved for use on the NHS.

time-read
2 mins  |
November 09, 2024
Friend denies he abandoned Liam Payne before fatal fall
Daily Express

Friend denies he abandoned Liam Payne before fatal fall

A FRIEND has denied abandoning Liam Payne before the singer plunged to his death from a hotel balcony.

time-read
1 min  |
November 09, 2024
J goes Lo-cut in London...
Daily Express

J goes Lo-cut in London...

JENNIFER Lopez has fashion all tied up as she hits the town in a plunging black dress held together by only a bow.

time-read
1 min  |
November 09, 2024
My 'sociopath' jibes in 2018 are old news says Lammy
Daily Express

My 'sociopath' jibes in 2018 are old news says Lammy

DAVID Lammy insisted his controversial comments about Donald Trump are \"old news' - but issued a warning to Washington over trade tariffs.

time-read
1 min  |
November 09, 2024
Fears grow on US support for Kyiv
Daily Express

Fears grow on US support for Kyiv

BRITISH troops could be ordered to enforce a buffer zone on the Ukrainian frontline under plans being considered by Donald Trump, it was revealed last night.

time-read
1 min  |
November 09, 2024
Trump's foes fear for their futures after his promises to wreak revenge
Daily Express

Trump's foes fear for their futures after his promises to wreak revenge

DONALD Trump's enemies were last night planning their political survival after fears grew he would follow through on his promise of revenge following his election win.

time-read
3 mins  |
November 09, 2024