cancer."

A scientific study concluded that a simple test on breathing can help predict whether people with intestinal problems are more likely to develop stomach cancer. The study relies on the detection of chemical compounds present in the exhalation, in an attempt to distinguish the "breath imprint" in people who may have had dangerous changes before cancer.

Experts say that the results of this study, if confirmed in larger trials, will help identify people who are on the verge of developing cancer, so that they can be treated early.

But more research is needed to validate the test, details of which were published in the journal Gut.

Olfactory indicators

Stomach cancer affects about 7,300 people every year in Britain.

In most Western countries, the disease is diagnosed late when the chances of survival diminish, in part because symptoms - such as indigestion and pain - can be misdiagnosed as symptoms of other diseases.

Scientists believe that early detection may aid in the diagnosis.

The new test is based on research conducted earlier in Israel, Latvia and China.

The test is based on the idea that people with cancer may have "unique breath fingerprints" that contain small chemical compounds that are not found in the exhalations of people without the disease.

The researchers studied the expiratory samples of 145 patients, of whom about 30 were already known to have stomach cancer.

The rest were tested for symptoms of concern. They did not have cancer but some had troubling changes that doctors called "precancerous", which could progress to malignant tumors.

The scientists performed the test according to a number of different scenarios, and were somewhat successful in distinguishing between cancerous and non-cancerous samples.

The test was successful in identifying the troubling precancerous changes that increase the odds of developing into cancer.

However, the test was not accurate in every case, as some were wrongly diagnosed as having a high risk of developing the disease.

Scientists say more work is needed before this test can be ready for use in clinics.

"Diagnosing cancer in its early stages offers patients the best chance for successful treatment, so research like this helps save lives," says Emma Smith, from Cancer Research UK.

"But we have to make sure that the test is sensitive and accurate enough to be used on a larger scale," she added.

Thousands of patients are undergoing research in Europe....