Dogs: the latest cancer detection tool?

Dogs have been proven to be useful in a variety of health-related situations. They guide those with vision problems, provide therapy in many different situations, and even help out those who may have mobility issues at home. But a small non-profit group called Pine Street Foundation claims to have trained five of their dogs to detect lung and breast cancer by smelling a patient's breath. During the study that followed, the group claims the dogs were 99% accurate in detecting lung cancer and smelled breast cancer 88% of the time, even if the patient had just smoked a cigarette or ate a meal.

Researchers aren't surprised and say the group's study looks to be sound, though further research needs to be done. Dogs' noses are powerfully strong, and experts say it's now up to technology to catch up and develop a process that can detect disease just as efficiently.