Identification of breath volatile organic compounds to distinguish pancreatic adenocarcinoma, pancreatic cystic neoplasm, and patients without pancreatic lesions

Table 2 Comparison of exhaled breath volatile organic compound levels between three groups¹

Variable	PDAC, n = 54	IPMN, n = 42	Normal pancreas, n = 60	P value2
1,4-pentadiene	0.34 ± 0.34	0.32 ± 0.28	0.32 ± 0.21	0.626
Acetone dimer	5.19 ± 0.74	4.49 ± 0.81	3.95 ± 0.86	< 0.001
Acetone monomer	3.99 ± 0.79	4.21 ± 0.59	4.07 ± 0.69	0.411
Acetonitrile	0.13 ± 0.05	0.14 ± 0.10	0.13 ± 0.06	0.544
Benzene	0.20 ± 0.15	0.19 ± 0.11	0.25 ± 0.19	0.336
Dimethyl sulfide	0.94 ± 0.40	0.74 ± 0.38	0.73 ± 0.40	0.008
Ethanol	0.25 ± 0.06	0.26 ± 0.05	0.26 ± 0.07	0.726
Isopropyl alcohol	0.31 ± 0.45	0.19 ± 0.23	0.20 ± 0.27	0.731
Toluene	0.56 ± 0.42	0.57 ± 0.52	0.50 ± 0.37	0.655

¹Volatile organic compounds levels are expressed as mean ± standard deviation in arbitrary unit;

²P value adjusted for multiple comparisons. IPMN: Intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasm; PDAC: Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinom.