Израильская стартап-компания SpotitEarly использует собак и ИИ для домашнего теста на рак Headline: Israeli Startup SpotitEarly Combines Dogs and AI for At-Home Cancer Testing

The biotechnology firm SpotitEarly has embarked on the development of a home cancer test that relies on the analysis of human breath. This technology merges the olfactory abilities of dogs with artificial intelligence algorithms, as reported by TechCrunch.

Establishing comprehensive early detection methods for oncology is crucial for saving the maximum number of lives. SpotitEarly’s CEO, Shlomi Madar, believes that dogs can significantly contribute to this effort. He asserts that they can be trained to identify diseases, including cancer, by detecting specific scents related to human breath.

«There are countless anecdotes from dog owners stating that their pets sensed something was wrong long before a diagnosis was made,» he noted.

Together with three friends, Madar developed a methodology and technology for cancer detection through breath analysis.

Users can perform the test by collecting a sample at home and sending it to the company’s laboratory. The lab employs 18 specially trained beagles that can distinguish cancer-related odors.

If a dog detects disease-related particles, the sample is transferred to an AI platform for further validation and interpretation.

«Our laboratory is equipped with cameras overhead. There’s also a microphone that captures the dogs’ breathing patterns. We monitor their heart rates as well. Essentially, machine learning understands the ‘baseline norm’ for the entire pack. This is what makes the system more accurate than mere observation by a canine trainer,» Madar explained.

According to a study published in Nature, the analysis accuracy stands at 94%. The test involved 1,400 participants and aimed to identify the four most common cancer types: breast, colorectal, prostate, and lung cancer.

SpotitEarly was founded in Israel in 2020. In May 2025, the company announced its entry into the U.S. market after securing $20.3 million in investments from Hanaco VC, Menomedin VC, Jeff Schwartz, and Avishai Abrahami.

The funding will be directed towards expanding clinical research.

Madar indicated that home screening kits will be available in the future, with each test priced at approximately $250.

Additionally, it is worth noting that in September, researchers developed an AI tool capable of predicting over 1,000 diseases and forecasting health changes up to a decade in advance.