Detecting skin cancer using volatile biomarkers

AGFD 227

Michelle Gallagher, mgallagher@monell.org1, George Preti, preti@monell.org1, Steve Fakharzadeh, ssf@mail.med.upenn.edu2, Charles J. Wysocki, wysocki@pobox.upenn.edu3, Jae Kwak, jkwak@monell.org1, Christopher J. Miller, Chris.Miller2@uphs.upenn.edu2, Chrysalyne D. Schmults, cschmults@partners.org4, Andrew I Spielman, andrew.spielman@nyu.edu5, and Xuming Sun, xs5@nyu.edu6. (1) Monell Chemical Senses Center, 3500 Market Street, Philadelphia, PA 19104, (2) Dermatology, University of Pennsylvania, 235B Clinical Research Building, 415 Curie Boulevard, Philadelphia, PA 190104, (3) Monell Chemical Senses Center and University of Pennsylvania, 3500 Market St., Philadelphia, PA 19104-3308, (4) Mohs Micrographic Surgery Center, Dana Farber/Brigham and Women's Cancer Center, 1153 Centre Street, Suite 4349, Jamaica Plain, MA 02130, (5) Department of Basic Science, New York University College of Dentistry, 345E 24th Street, New York, NY 10010, (6) Department of Basic Sciences and Craniofacial Biology, New York University College of Dentistry, 345E 24th Street, New York, NY 10010
Dogs can detect the presence of skin cancer via olfaction, supporting the hypothesis that skin tumors produce a different profile of volatile metabolites than normal skin. We used solid-phase microextraction and gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS) to investigate the profile of volatiles from individuals with basal cell carcinoma (BCC) tumor sites, as well as similar sites from the control subjects. Inspection of GC/MS data demonstrated no obvious qualitative changes between BCC sites and control sites. Several compounds chosen because of their structure, origin and/or biogenesis were monitored in a quantitative fashion in all patients and controls. Statistical analyses of the quantitative data suggest that rather than “new” volatile organic compounds (VOCs) related to the carcinoma, we see a quantitative alteration of the normal VOC profile at the BCC site: some of the monitored compounds decrease, and others increase in relative concentration. Supported by NIH (Training grant #: T 32 DC00014-26) and Ms. Bonnie Hunt.
 

Chemical Senses and Health: 100th Anniversary of AGFD and 40th Anniversary of the Monell Center
1:30 PM-5:20 PM, Wednesday, August 20, 2008 Pennsylvania Convention Center -- 113C, Oral

Division of Agricultural & Food Chemistry

The 236th ACS National Meeting, Philadelphia, PA, August 17-21, 2008