Dogs and AI Team Up To Sniff Out Cancer With Remarkable Accuracy   

• An innovative cancer screening method combining dogs’ extraordinary sense of smell with artificial intelligence (AI) has demonstrated impressive results. The method successfully detected four types of cancer ? breast, lung, colorectal, and prostate ? in 94 percent of cases, according to a study published on Nov. 15, 2024, in Scientific Reports. Developed by the Israeli startup SpotitEarly, the experimental system utilizes trained dogs to sniff breath samples for cancer’s odor signature. Early detection is critical for improving cancer survival rates, and the method proved equally effective in identifying early and late-stage cancers, says Assaf Rabinowicz, SpotitEarly’s chief technology officer. To overcome challenges in interpreting the dogs’ responses, researchers incorporated AI. A machine learning model analyzed the dogs’ body language and cues, ensuring consistent and accurate results. The study, conducted in collaboration with Israeli medical centers, collected nearly 1,400 breath samples. Of these, 261 participants tested positive for one of the cancers, and the dogs, aided by AI, correctly identified 245 of these cases. Furthermore, they rarely falsely identified negative samples as positive ? only 60 out of 1,048. SpotitEarly is planning a larger clinical trial in the United States, with early results in 2026. While future trials will involve beagles due to their trainability, the Labrador retrievers from the study remain integral to ongoing research and development. J.K. Park Staff Reporter junior/1737615598/1613368089