Dogs, AI and cancer: Could a sniff be the future of early detection?

In Bengaluru, India's tech hub, a rescue dog named Chloe is undergoing training to sniff out cancer through breath samples using AI technology. This innovative project, spearheaded by Dognosis, a Bengaluru-based startup, aims to develop a non-invasive early detection method for various types of cancer. The company collaborates with government medical institutions and is backed by venture-capital firms such as Accel India.

Chloe, a Labrador mix, is among 15 dogs being trained for this purpose, donning a custom-designed data-gathering helmet.

Dognosis utilizes AI to analyze the dogs' brain activity, respiration, and body language, converting their response to the scent into valuable data. Each sniff can evaluate multiple samples in an hour, potentially making Dognosis the third company of its kind globally, following firms from Germany and Israel. Early detection of cancer can significantly improve survival rates, but many Indian patients are diagnosed in advanced stages.

Dognosis believes its dog-sniffs could serve as an easy and affordable first layer of screening, identifying potential cases for further testing.

The testing process involves patients breathing into a cotton mask for approximately 10 minutes, which is then sealed and sent to the lab for analysis. Patients do not interact with the dogs. A recent study involving over 1,500 participants across six hospitals in Karnataka state achieved an accuracy rate of more than 90 percent across seven major types of cancer.

The results were published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology. While cancer specialists express cautious optimism, they emphasize the need for larger-scale studies to confirm the technology's effectiveness in real-world scenarios.

Dognosis primarily uses beagles, along with Malinois and Shepherd mixes, which are sourced through adoption or legal breeders. Only the most skilled dogs are selected, and each is listed individually on the company's website as an official "sniffer." The dogs maintain a balanced work-life routine, with training sessions limited to around 30-45 minutes daily. The company's success is attributed to positive reinforcement training methods, where dogs are rewarded with treats for detecting specific scents.