An Indian startup is trying to turn dogs’ powerful sense of smell into a scalable, low-cost way to flag cancer before symptoms appear. Bloomberg reported Friday, that Bengaluru-based Dognosis is training beagles, labradors, Dutch shepherds and other breeds to detect traces of cancer in human breath, then using sensors and artificial intelligence to interpret each animal’s response.
Patients breathe into masks that are sent to the company’s facility. Dogs sniff the samples while the system examines their movement, breathing, brain activity and body language. The approach is intended as a non-invasive prescreening method, rather than a replacement for imaging, blood tests or biopsies.
At Dognosis’ two-acre farm and laboratory outside Bengaluru, the dogs live together and receive walks and playtime. Their detection sessions last between 30 minutes and one hour a day, with the work structured as a game and treats used as rewards.
Dognosis reported roughly 90% sensitivity for early-stage cancers in a Phase 2 study published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology. The study covered seven broad groups representing more than 20 cancer types, including breast cancer. Co-founder Akash Kulgod said dogs trained on 10 cancer types also identified an unfamiliar 11th type.
The potential need is substantial. The International Agency for Research on Cancer estimated that India recorded 1.5 million new cancer cases and more than 900,000 deaths in 2024. Yet screening remains uncommon. In a 2019-2021 survey, 1.9% of Indian women said they had been screened for cervical cancer, while 0.9% reported breast or oral cancer examinations. Among men, 1.2% reported oral cancer screening.
The company plans to introduce an at-home, multi-cancer prescreening test in India next year, priced at a few thousand rupees. It began a Phase 3 trial in April with 10 hospitals and aims to recruit about 10,000 participants over 12 months. The trial includes asymptomatic people at higher risk and cancer survivors facing possible recurrence. Samples flagged as positive will receive conventional follow-up through imaging and biopsies.
Dognosis raised US$1.5 million in a 2024 pre-seed round and recently secured another undisclosed sum. Its backers include Accel India and Caffeinated Capital. The startup eventually wants to process one million tests annually, double its canine team to 30 and reduce turnaround time to one week.
Before that expansion, Dognosis must show its accuracy holds across larger, more varied populations and persuade doctors and patients to trust the system.
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