Pilot study: Volatile organic compounds as a diagnostic marker for head and neck tumors

✍ Scribed by Joachim Schmutzhard; Josef Rieder; Martina Deibl; Ilona M. Schwentner; Stefan Schmid; Philip Lirk; Irene Abraham; Andreas R. Gunkel

• Book ID: 102234303
• Publisher: John Wiley and Sons
• Year: 2008
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 108 KB
• Volume: 30
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 1043-3074
• DOI: 10.1002/hed.20779

✦ Synopsis

Abstract

Background

In the last decade, the analysis of volatile organic compounds (VOC) has undergone a rapid development. In this pilot study, patients with HNSCC were tested with a proton transfer reaction‐mass spectrometry in order to establish a minimal invasive screening method.

Methods

Overall in a period of 2 years, 22 carcinoma patients were recruited for the study. All patients had a newly diagnosed histologically secured squamous cell carcinoma of the upper aerodigestive tract. These results were statistically compared with 3 control groups: healthy controls, high‐risk, and posttherapy patients.

Results

Two hundred nine different masses were measured; 188 of these were evaluated. The statistical workup of the 4 study groups produced 42 different masses, which showed a statistically significant difference from the carcinoma group compared with the control groups.

Conclusion

A screening method for HNSCC using VOC seems to be possible, but further investigation is necessary. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Head Neck, 2008