title: Dimethyl trisulfide as a characteristic odor associated with fungating cancer wounds.
abstract: Some advanced cancer patients suffer from pungent sulfury malodor. To determine the chemical identity of the odorant, we performed gas chromatography-mass spectrometry-olfactometry analysis of volatiles from fungating cancer wounds. We identified the source of the characteristic smell as dimethyl trisulfide, a compound that is known to be emitted from some vegetables and microorganisms. Controlling the production of dimethyl trisulfide should improve quality of life of patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Integrated Biosciences, The University of Tokyo, Chiba 277-8562, Japan.
authors.forename: Mika
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Shirasu
authors.forename: Shunji
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Nagai
authors.forename: Ryuichi
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Hayashi
authors.forename: Atsushi
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ochiai
authors.forename: Kazushige
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Touhara
mesh_terms: D008401:Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000150:complications*; D009812:Odorants; D013440:Sulfides / Q000032:analysis*; D014947:Wounds and Injuries / Q000503:physiopathology*
chemical_list: D013440:Sulfides; C054170:dimethyl trisulfide