Chapter 8: Origin and Emission of Volatile Biomarkers from Genital Fluid Check Access

Gynecological diseases are comprised of a series of conditions that affect the female reproductive tract by their communicable or noncommunicable status. To date, gynecological cancers, such as cervical, ovarian and endometrial, represent a serious public health concern worldwide that requires urgent attention, largely due to the lack of diagnostic markers and screening methods (cervical cancer is an exception). Different omics approaches have been used, highlighting the analysis of volatile organic compounds (VOCs), which stand out as a fast, economical and sensitive alternative to screening. The analysis of genital fluids, unlike urine, blood and breath, has been rare. The origin of the VOCs harbored in the genital fluids of healthy women and cervical cancer patients is discussed in the current chapter, as well as how these, alongside VOCs present in other fluids such as blood and urine, could become involved in the design of screening tools for early detection of disorders.