Sniffing Out Cancer: Trained Dogs Can Detect Hemangiosarcoma By Scent

From University of Penn.

Cancer is a leading cause of death in both humans and pets; studies suggest that between one-third and one-half of all dogs will develop cancer during their lifetime.

Hemangiosarcoma, an aggressive, malignant cancer of blood vessel cells, is especially devastating. Often not diagnosed until a seemingly healthy dog collapses, it has been described as a “silent killer.”

Currently, there are no diagnostic measures or tools to detect it early, and the prognosis once diagnosed is poor.

To address this challenge, Cynthia M. Otto of the School of Veterinary Medicine and her colleagues have evaluated whether hemangiosarcoma has a distinct “signature” scent or pattern of volatile organic compounds that dogs can detect. Their findings are published in The Veterinary Journal.

Volatile organic compounds are what we are actually smelling, explains Clara Wilson, a postdoctoral research fellow at Penn Vet’s Working Dog Center. “We’re picking up on volatile organic compounds every time we smell something,” she says. “The dogs have an ability to detect them at much lower levels than we can. These compounds are important because they seem to be the key to how dogs are able to smell things like cancer.”

Five bio-detection dogs previously trained to recognize odors associated with other diseases, including chronic wasting disease, post-traumatic stress disorder, human ovarian cancer, and human pancreatic cancer, participated in double-blinded tests that included blood serum samples from dogs with confirmed hemangiosarcoma, dogs with non-cancerous diseases other than hemangiosarcoma (diseased controls), and healthy controls; each dog evaluated 12 matched sample sets across seven trials per set. Notably, none of the samples had been used during the initial training sessions.

“We used olfactometers, which are very high-tech—they actually have a little infrared laser beam going across the top,” says Wilson. “When that beam is broken, it will register that the dog is interrogating the sample. And if they then stay in that beam for long enough—and it’s the correct sample—they’ll hear a tone, and they’ll know to come and get their treat.”

On average across all trials, the dogs correctly identified the hemangiosarcoma samples 70% of the time, a rate that, Wilson notes, falls within the range seen in studies of dogs detecting human cancer, a more-established approach.

“This is very encouraging,” she says. “Detecting cancer is incredibly hard—it’s a very complex smell.”

Importantly, these results indicate that hemangiosarcoma does have a detectable scent profile, which is what this proof-of-concept study aimed to determine. Now, says Wilson, effort could be put into developing a machine or a test to detect it.

The results are encouraging, as early detection could lead to better outcomes.

Wilson suggests the scent test could potentially be used as an annual screening. “It could flag a potential issue so that the owner could get further testing, such as ultrasound or CT scans,” she says. “It could really help catch it early for these dogs where we’re just finding it far too late.”

Detected early, says Otto, “we could prevent the disease from spreading, because it’s the spread that’s really devastating.” She notes veterinarians could then consider removing the spleen before it ruptures or starting chemotherapy sooner to save lives.

Early detection of hemangiosarcoma would also allow researchers to test different therapies in clinical trials, says Wilson. “This is an initial kernel of hope.”

Future research that could translate these findings into a helpful screening tool, Wilson and Otto say, might not only help veterinarians better treat dogs now but could also give researchers the ability to test more treatments.

Cynthia M. Otto is a professor of working dog sciences & sports medicine in the Department of Clinical Sciences & Advanced Medicine in the School of Veterinary Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania. She is also the executive director of the Penn Vet Working Dog Center.

Clara Wilson is a postdoctoral research fellow at the Penn Vet Working Dog Center.

Other authors are Molly Buis, Samantha Holden, Julianna King, and Amritha Mallikarjun of Penn Vet.

This work was supported by the American Kennel Club Canine Health Foundation (Grant #03187), with contributions from the Golden Retriever Foundation, Irish Setter Club of America Foundation, Labrador Retriever Club, Inc., Scottish Terrier Club of America, and Vizsla Club of America Welfare Foundation. Additional monetary support was provided by the American German Shepherd Charitable Foundation and the Rookie Fund. Sample provision was supported by the Morris Animal Foundation (Grant #D24CLP-107).

Photo By Shelby Wise

Short URL: https://caninechronicle.com/?p=348131

Posted by Liz on Jan 17 2026. Filed under Current Articles, Featured. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. Both comments and pings are currently closed.