{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,23]],"date-time":"2026-09-23T17:11:51Z","timestamp":1790183511286,"version":"4.1.0"},"reference-count":34,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"6","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2019,6,25]],"date-time":"2019-06-25T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1561420800000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Medicina"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Background: Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) is the sixth most common form of cancer worldwide, with approximately 630,000 new cases diagnosed each year. The development of low-cost and non-invasive tools for the detection of HNSCC using volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in the breath could potentially improve patient care. The aim of this study was to investigate the feasibility of selected ion flow tube mass spectrometry (SIFT-MS) technology to identify breath VOCs for the detection of HNSCC. Materials and Methods: Breath samples were obtained from HNSCC patients (N = 23) and healthy volunteers (N = 21). Exhaled alveolar breath samples were collected into FlexFoil\u00ae PLUS (SKC Limited, Dorset, UK) sampling bags from newly diagnosed, histologically confirmed, untreated patients with HNSCC and from non-cancer participants. Breath samples were analyzed by Selected Ion Flow Tube-Mass Spectrometry (SIFT-MS) (Syft Technologies, Christchurch, New Zealand) using Selective Ion Mode (SIM) scans that probed for 91 specific VOCs that had been previously reported as breath biomarkers of HNSCC and other malignancies. Results: Of the 91 compounds analyzed, the median concentration of hydrogen cyanide (HCN) was significantly higher in the HNSCC group (2.5 ppb, 1.6\u20134.4) compared to the non-cancer group (1.1 ppb, 0.9\u20131.3; Benjamini\u2013Hochberg adjusted p &lt; 0.05). A receiver operating curve (ROC) analysis showed an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.801 (95% CI, 0.65952\u20130.94296), suggesting moderate accuracy of HCN in distinguishing HNSCC from non-cancer individuals. There were no statistically significant differences in the concentrations of the other compounds of interest that were analyzed. Conclusions: This pilot study demonstrated the feasibility of SIFT-MS technology to identify VOCs for the detection of HNSCC.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/medicina55060306","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2019,6,25]],"date-time":"2019-06-25T10:52:31Z","timestamp":1561459951000},"page":"306","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":27,"title":["The Use of Selected Ion Flow Tube-Mass Spectrometry Technology to Identify Breath Volatile Organic Compounds for the Detection of Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma: A Pilot Study"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"55","author":[{"given":"Dhinashini","family":"Chandran","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Discipline of Surgery, College of Medicine and Public Health, Flinders University, Adelaide 5042, Australia"},{"name":"Flinders Centre for Innovation in Cancer, Flinders University, Adelaide 5042, South Australia"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-7201-815X","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Eng H.","family":"Ooi","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Discipline of Surgery, College of Medicine and Public Health, Flinders University, Adelaide 5042, Australia"},{"name":"Flinders Centre for Innovation in Cancer, Flinders University, Adelaide 5042, South Australia"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-7683-2693","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"David I","family":"Watson","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Discipline of Surgery, College of Medicine and Public Health, Flinders University, Adelaide 5042, Australia"},{"name":"Flinders Centre for Innovation in Cancer, Flinders University, Adelaide 5042, South Australia"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-5953-5881","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Feruza","family":"Kholmurodova","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Flinders Center for Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Flinders University, Adelaide 5042, South Australia"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Simone","family":"Jaenisch","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Discipline of Surgery, College of Medicine and Public Health, Flinders University, Adelaide 5042, Australia"},{"name":"Flinders Centre for Innovation in Cancer, Flinders University, Adelaide 5042, South Australia"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-1038-4998","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Roger","family":"Yazbeck","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Discipline of Surgery, College of Medicine and Public Health, Flinders University, Adelaide 5042, Australia"},{"name":"Flinders Centre for Innovation in Cancer, Flinders University, Adelaide 5042, South Australia"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2019,6,25]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"394","DOI":"10.3322\/caac.21492","article-title":"Global cancer statistics 2018: GLOBOCAN estimates of incidence and mortality worldwide for 36 cancers in 185 countries","volume":"68","author":"Bray","year":"2018","journal-title":"CA Cancer J. Clin."},{"key":"ref_2","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"609","DOI":"10.1308\/003588409X432446","article-title":"The use of examination under anaesthesia and panendoscopy in patients presenting with oral cavity and oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma","volume":"91","author":"Kerawala","year":"2009","journal-title":"Ann. R. Coll. Surg. Engl."},{"key":"ref_3","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"790","DOI":"10.1038\/bjc.2014.361","article-title":"Analysis of exhaled breath for diagnosing head and neck squamous cell carcinoma: A feasibility study","volume":"111","author":"Gruber","year":"2014","journal-title":"Br. J. Cancer"},{"key":"ref_4","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1649","DOI":"10.1038\/bjc.2011.128","article-title":"Diagnosis of head-and-neck cancer from exhaled breath","volume":"104","author":"Hakim","year":"2011","journal-title":"Br. J. Cancer"},{"key":"ref_5","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"723","DOI":"10.1136\/gut.35.6.723","article-title":"The urea breath test for Helicobacter pylori","volume":"35","author":"Atherton","year":"1994","journal-title":"Gut"},{"key":"ref_6","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"27","DOI":"10.3390\/diagnostics5010027","article-title":"Technologies for clinical diagnosis using expired human breath analysis","volume":"5","author":"Mathew","year":"2015","journal-title":"Diagnostics"},{"key":"ref_7","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"034001","DOI":"10.1088\/1752-7155\/8\/3\/034001","article-title":"The human volatilome: Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in exhaled breath, skin emanations, urine, feces and saliva","volume":"8","author":"Amann","year":"2014","journal-title":"J. Breath Res."},{"key":"ref_8","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"501","DOI":"10.1007\/s10337-013-2611-7","article-title":"Volatile organic compounds analysis in breath air in healthy volunteers and patients suffering epidermoid laryngeal carcinomas","volume":"77","author":"Garcia","year":"2014","journal-title":"Chromatographia"},{"key":"ref_9","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1377","DOI":"10.1002\/lary.24463","article-title":"Application of an electronic nose in the diagnosis of head and neck cancer","volume":"124","author":"Leunis","year":"2014","journal-title":"Laryngoscope"},{"key":"ref_10","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"743","DOI":"10.1002\/hed.20779","article-title":"Pilot study: Volatile organic compounds as a diagnostic marker for head and neck tumors","volume":"30","author":"Schmutzhard","year":"2008","journal-title":"Head Neck"},{"key":"ref_11","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"3897","DOI":"10.1007\/s00405-016-4038-x","article-title":"Differentiating head and neck carcinoma from lung carcinoma with an electronic nose: A proof of concept study","volume":"273","author":"Leunis","year":"2016","journal-title":"Eur. Arch. Oto-Rhino-Laryngol."},{"key":"ref_12","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1053","DOI":"10.1007\/s00405-016-4320-y","article-title":"Feasibility of electronic nose technology for discriminating between head and neck, bladder, and colon carcinomas","volume":"274","author":"Leunis","year":"2017","journal-title":"Eur. Arch. Oto-Rhino-Laryngol."},{"key":"ref_13","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"59","DOI":"10.1016\/j.cca.2014.04.030","article-title":"Investigation of potential breath biomarkers for the early diagnosis of breast cancer using gas chromatography\u2014Mass spectrometry","volume":"436","author":"Li","year":"2014","journal-title":"Clin. Chim. Acta"},{"key":"ref_14","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"184","DOI":"10.1046\/j.1524-4741.2003.09309.x","article-title":"Volatile markers of breast cancer in the breath","volume":"9","author":"Phillips","year":"2003","journal-title":"Breast J."},{"key":"ref_15","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"19","DOI":"10.1007\/s10549-006-9176-1","article-title":"Prediction of breast cancer using volatile biomarkers in the breath","volume":"99","author":"Phillips","year":"2006","journal-title":"Breast Cancer Res. Treat."},{"key":"ref_16","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"026003","DOI":"10.1088\/1752-7155\/4\/2\/026003","article-title":"Volatile biomarkers in the breath of women with breast cancer","volume":"4","author":"Phillips","year":"2010","journal-title":"J. Breath Res."},{"key":"ref_17","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"3409","DOI":"10.1021\/ac4000656","article-title":"Selected ion flow tube mass spectrometry analysis of volatile metabolites in urine headspace for the profiling of gastro-esophageal cancer","volume":"85","author":"Huang","year":"2013","journal-title":"Anal. Chem."},{"key":"ref_18","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1286","DOI":"10.1164\/rccm.200409-1184OC","article-title":"Detection of lung cancer by sensor array analyses of exhaled breath","volume":"171","author":"Machado","year":"2005","journal-title":"Am. J. Respir. Crit. Care Med."},{"key":"ref_19","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1278","DOI":"10.1093\/clinchem\/31.8.1278","article-title":"Volatile organic compounds in exhaled air from patients with lung cancer","volume":"31","author":"Gordon","year":"1985","journal-title":"Clin. Chem."},{"key":"ref_20","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1535","DOI":"10.1088\/0957-0233\/16\/8\/001","article-title":"A study of an electronic nose for detection of lung cancer based on a virtual SAW gas sensors array and imaging recognition method","volume":"16","author":"Chen","year":"2005","journal-title":"Meas. Sci. Technol."},{"key":"ref_21","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"189","DOI":"10.1016\/j.cccn.2004.02.025","article-title":"Increased breath biomarkers of oxidative stress in diabetes mellitus","volume":"344","author":"Phillips","year":"2004","journal-title":"Clin. Chim. Acta"},{"key":"ref_22","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"357","DOI":"10.4155\/bio.13.306","article-title":"Detection of volatile malodorous compounds in breath: Current analytical techniques and implications in human disease","volume":"6","author":"Calenic","year":"2014","journal-title":"Bioanalysis"},{"key":"ref_23","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"38643","DOI":"10.18632\/oncotarget.5938","article-title":"Detection of cancer through exhaled breath: A systematic review","volume":"6","author":"Krilaviciute","year":"2015","journal-title":"Oncotarget"},{"key":"ref_24","first-page":"29","article-title":"Breath based volatile organic compounds in the detection of breast, lung, and colorectal cancers: A systematic review","volume":"21","author":"Davis","year":"2018","journal-title":"Cancer Biomark."},{"key":"ref_25","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"661","DOI":"10.1002\/mas.20033","article-title":"Selected ion flow tube mass spectrometry (SIFT-MS) for on-line trace gas analysis","volume":"24","author":"Smith","year":"2005","journal-title":"Mass Spectrom. Rev."},{"key":"ref_26","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"236","DOI":"10.1002\/mas.20303","article-title":"Progress in SIFT-MS: Breath analysis and other applications","volume":"30","author":"Smith","year":"2011","journal-title":"Mass Spectrom. Rev."},{"key":"ref_27","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"553","DOI":"10.1002\/bmc.835","article-title":"Human exhaled air analytics: Biomarkers of diseases","volume":"21","author":"Buszewski","year":"2007","journal-title":"Biomed. Chromatogr."},{"key":"ref_28","unstructured":"Simeonova, F.P., and Fishbein, L. (2004). Hydrogen Cyanide and Cyanides: Human Health Aspects, World Health Organization Publications."},{"key":"ref_29","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"011001","DOI":"10.1088\/1752-7155\/1\/1\/011001","article-title":"Acetone, ammonia and hydrogen cyanide in exhaled breath of several volunteers aged 4\u201383 years","volume":"1","author":"Dryahina","year":"2007","journal-title":"J. Breath Res."},{"key":"ref_30","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"467","DOI":"10.1002\/jcp.22767","article-title":"Emerging strategies for the early detection and prevention of head and neck squamous cell cancer","volume":"227","author":"Dasgupta","year":"2012","journal-title":"J. Cell. Physiol."},{"key":"ref_31","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"142","DOI":"10.1002\/ppul.20963","article-title":"Hydrogen cyanide as a biomarker for Pseudomonas aeruginosa in the breath of children with cystic fibrosis","volume":"44","author":"Enderby","year":"2009","journal-title":"Pediatric Pulmonol."},{"key":"ref_32","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Panghal, M., Kaushal, V., Kadayan, S., and Yadav, J.P. (2012). Incidence and risk factors for infection in oral cancer patients undergoing different treatments protocols. BMC Oral Health, 12.","DOI":"10.1186\/1472-6831-12-22"},{"key":"ref_33","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Joshi, P., Dutta, S., Chaturvedi, P., and Nair, S. (2014). Head and neck cancers in developing countries. Rambam Maimonides Med. J., 5.","DOI":"10.5041\/RMMJ.10143"},{"key":"ref_34","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"143","DOI":"10.1590\/S1806-37562015000000195","article-title":"Influence of age and gender on the profile of exhaled volatile organic compounds analyzed by an electronic nose","volume":"42","author":"Dragonieri","year":"2016","journal-title":"J. Bras. Pneumol."}],"container-title":["Medicina"],"original-title":[],"language":"en","link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/www.mdpi.com\/1648-9144\/55\/6\/306\/pdf","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2025,10,11]],"date-time":"2025-10-11T13:00:57Z","timestamp":1760187657000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/www.mdpi.com\/1648-9144\/55\/6\/306"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2019,6,25]]},"references-count":34,"journal-issue":{"issue":"6","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2019,6]]}},"alternative-id":["medicina55060306"],"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/medicina55060306","relation":{},"ISSN":["1648-9144"],"issn-type":[{"value":"1648-9144","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2019,6,25]]}}}