Does This Dog Know Whether You Have Cancer?

The canine nose is a marvel of nature. Science believes that a computerized model will save millions of lives

- Adam Piore

Osa, an athletic 28-kilo German shepherd with a long, fluffy tail and a fondness for red bandannas, seems an unlikely superhero.

She chews on the couch when she’s bored and isn’t above making a scene to get attention. On a recent day when her foster mother and trainer Anne Marie DeAngelo stepped outside their New Jersey home while chatting with a visitor, Osa bounded up and barked for attention; when that failed, she leaped onto the patio table, stuck her snout in DeAngelo’s face and began whining.

“You are unbelievable,” DeAngelo growled before cracking a smile.

But if Osa wants to play the diva, she’s entitled. After all, how many sixyear-old pooches do you know who have mastered the art of sniffing out cancerous tumours and are involved in a research project that has the potential to revolutionize oncology?