A study presented Wednesday at the American Chemical Society National Meeting & Exposition in Philadelphia may open doors to development of new methods to detect basal cell carcinoma, as well as for other forms of skin cancer.

Monell Chemical Senses Center researchers in Philadelphia tested the air above basal cell carcinomas and discovered it was different to similar samples from healthy skin.

For the study, 22 patients, 11 with and 11 without basal cell carcinomas, were tested. The researchers discovered that patients with cancer had markedly different concentrations of certain chemicals. Therefore, they hope the findings will allow them to use an electronic nose – a nanosensor – that can detect tiny quantities of volatile compounds to detect skin cancers.

“We found that the odor profile coming from the skin cancer patients was markedly different than that coming from healthy skin. So, we think that this kind of biomarker could be used in a rapid and noninvasive way to do so is with a visual exam and a biopsy, which is, of course, invasive,” study author Michelle Gallagher said.

She further expressed her optimism that “within a few years, it’s reasonable to say that this could end up being a diagnostic tool that would be a routine thing one could do in a doctor’s office. It’s a real possibility.”

This is the first analysis to identify and quantify the compounds involved in skin cancer odors, Gallagher added.

Around one million new cases of skin cancer are diagnosed each year.

The study was funded by the National Institutes of Health and Ms. Bonnie Hunt.