Volatile Organic Compounds and Lung Cancer: Public Health Impacts, Biomarker Potential, and Artificial Intelligence Applications

Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are a class of widespread organic chemical compounds. They can act as both environmental pollutants and biomarkers of health conditions, such as lung cancer. The paper first provides an overview of the role of exogenous VOCs in lung cancer causation, and evaluates particular public policies that aim to reduce VOC emissions. By summarizing recent and past findings and research on VOCs and lung cancer, this literature then discusses the role of endogenous VOCs in lung cancer and their potential as a tool for lung cancer detection. The current applications of artificial intelligence (AI) in VOC research, as well as the performance of several algorithms trained to identify lung cancer and differentiate between its subtypes, are evaluated. The key findings of the paper highlight the need for stronger regulation and policies for VOCs, especially in underdeveloped industrial areas, the strong potential of VOCs as a non-invasive method for detecting lung cancer, and the promise of utilizing AI technologies in medical advancements that leverage VOC data to enhance lung cancer diagnostics. This paper highlights the potential of VOC-based and AI assisted breath analysis as a noninvasive approach for early lung cancer detection.