The KDOG team validated a proof of concept in 2017-2018 with 2 dogs which in more than 90% of cases found the sample carried by sick women among samples of women without cancer. This is exceptional and seems to prove that the dogs do detect something, but it is not enough. We must now move from a concept to a rigorous, repeatable, scientifically validated by the medical community progress, which requires a clinical study. This clinical study, carried out in a multicentre setting, began in early 2020.

Anne TARDIVON has been working as a radiologist in Cancer Centres since 1992, and at the Curie Institute since 2002. Specialising in breast imaging, she is the principal investigator of the clinical study of the KDOG project.

How can we prove scientifically that such a process is reliable or not? This is the whole issue of clinical study design. Here is what Alexia SAVIGNONI, a methodologist at the Curie Institute who is in charge of this fundamental part of the study, has to say about it.

KDOG dogs are trained at the Jardins de la Défense in Champvoisy. The kennel is run by Didier VALENTIN, former army captain and cynotechnical trainer. He uses his expertise to prepare Nougaro, a labrador, for the detection of breast cancer odors.

Didier is accompanied by two canine educators, Cécile MANSUY and Florian CONCHAUDON, who respectively look after Odin, a labrador, and Owen, a Malinois.

Damien TRUFFAUT puts his IT skills at the service of KDOG to create a software platform for monitoring dog training. A fundamental work to record and transmit the data.

The KDOG method is based, in particular, on veterinary and ethological studies. Thus, the team is supported by Caroline GILBERT, veterinarian and ethologist specialised in animal welfare, and Valérie FREICHE, veterinarian specialising in gastrointestinal diseases.

An associate professor of medicine and former senator, Claude HURIET has worked on bioethical issues, whether through the law on the protection of persons involved in biomedical research bearing his name or through his participation in various French and international bioethics committees. He was also President of the Curie Institute until 2013 and is one of the project's great ambassadors.