Testing breath samples to identify oxygen-starved stomach and esophagus cancers

Researchers at Imperial College London are testing whether a non-invasive breath test can identify patients whose stomach or esophageal cancers have low oxygen levels—a condition that makes tumors more aggressive and harder to treat. The study will also use a medication called pimonidazole to help identify these oxygen-starved areas of the tumor. By combining breath analysis with tissue samples collected during surgery, the researchers hope to develop a simple way to spot which patients need more aggressive or specialized treatment.

Stomach and esophageal cancers have very poor survival rates, and one major reason is that many tumors develop low-oxygen areas that make them resistant to standard treatments. Currently, doctors have no reliable, non-invasive way to identify these dangerous low-oxygen tumors before treatment starts. This study aims to validate a simple breath test that could one day help doctors personalize treatment for each patient.