Breakthrough Cancer Detection Success Of K9 Medical Detection Dogs

K9 Medical Detection New Zealand (K9MD) has announced a significant milestone for early detection of bowel and ovarian cancers, with highly trained dogs achieving 100% success rates in advanced testing.

The Dunedin-based Charitable Trust uses specially trained dogs in a controlled clinical environment to assist in the detection of cancer as an additional valuable diagnostic tool in the growing battle against cancer and other diseases.

“This achievement marks a significant step forward in our mission to revolutionise cancer detection,” said Pauline Blomfield, CEO of K9 Medical Detection NZ.

“We are one step closer to offering non-invasive diagnostic options that could improve cancer outcomes for New Zealanders.

“By training dogs to detect these specific odours it is possible to minimise the spread of the disease and identify at-risk patients sooner. This enables earlier commencement of treatment, potentially leading to improved patient outcomes.

“Labradors, Hogan and Hero, have shown unprecedented accuracy in their recent validation trials. Hogan, trained to detect ovarian cancer, achieved a perfect *specificity and *sensitivity rate of 100% in identifying cancerous samples during a blind randomised trial. Similarly, Hero, trained to detect bowel cancer, achieved a sensitivity of 100% and a specificity of 97.2%,” she said.

New Zealand has one of the highest rates of cancer in the world, and early detection remains key to improving survival rates. Currently one NZ woman dies every 48 hours due to Ovarian Cancer. Each week, 23 New Zealanders die of bowel cancer.

Many diseases and disease-causing agents give off volatiles (odours). An alternative to molecular and physical screening techniques is the use of medical detection dogs to identify these volatile organic compounds (VOC) released from tumours.

Jeremy Sassoon, ANZ General Manager Royal Canin, who have partnered with K9MD to support the programme since 2022, says these remarkable results are a testament to the unique abilities of these dogs and the dedication of the K9MD team.

“The Medical Detection Dogs at K9MD are considered to be ‘professional athletes’ at what they do, and just like professional athletes, nutrition can make all the difference. Our scientifically formulated diet fuels their minds and bodies, enabling these dogs to thrive and do their best work,” he said.

“We have a strong belief in animals being able to support human health and encourage others to embark on such a rewarding partnership with K9MD so we can jointly play a role in transforming early cancer detection and treatment.”

Professor Tim Eglinton, Head of Department and Colorectal Surgeon at Otago University, Christchurch says ovarian and bowel cancers are often diagnosed at late stages, leading to poor outcomes for patients.

“The success of Hero and Hogan in early cancer detection offers a promising new tool in the fight against this deadly disease. A highly accurate and non-invasive screening test is the holy grail of bowel cancer diagnostic research, hence K9MD's work in this space is very significant.

“Not only are canines very accurate at identifying bowel cancer, as the preliminary data suggests, but this research could identify the volatile agents the canines are detecting, allowing a scalable laboratory test," Professor Eglinton said.

While these results are a significant achievement, the work is far from over.

“To continue training and validating these dogs for cancer detection, K9MD urgently needs public support. Funding is required for nurses to collect patient samples, trainers, laboratory technicians, operational costs, and, most importantly, the welfare of these amazing dogs,” Pauline Blomfield said.

For more information on how to donate, visit K9MD’s website. Your support can make a real difference in the early detection and treatment of cancer in New Zealand.

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