Diagnostic Performance of a Noninvasive Breath Test for Colorectal Cancer: COBRA1 Study

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the third most common cancer globally.¹ When diagnosed early, the 5-year survival rate is 92%,² yet 23% of CRCs are diagnosed at an advanced stage³ in the United Kingdom with a 5-year survival rate of 10%.² Early CRC has symptoms that are shared with common benign conditions.⁴ Colonoscopy capacity is limited, and referring all symptomatic patients for colonoscopy would overwhelm available resources. An intermediate triage test to identify patients at risk of CRC could streamline referral pathways. A breath test based on detecting volatile organic compounds (VOCs) has the ideal characteristics for a triage tool because it is noninvasive, simple to undertake, and acceptable to patients of all ethnicities.⁵