Does cancer have a smell?

I've often heard before my diagnosis that some people and animals can "smell" different illness' and disease's, like the dog's that can sense when someone is about to have a seizure.

I've not done any scientific research, or anything like that, so who am I to comment, but since starting chemotherapy I have begun to wonder if cancer really does have a "smell".

A few days after chemotherapy I get an overwhelming smell of metal. The smell that is left on your hand's after holding a handful of coins, just like that, everywhere. No matter how long I spend scrubbing myself in the shower I can still smell it, only for a few days, but each time it's there. I have thrust many of my body parts under the noses of my loved ones, they can never smell it though. The only way I have found to overpower that smell is to put talc on my head! (Just in case someone reads this who feels talc can cause cancer, I already have it, and everything causes cancer these days apparantly. Besides, it's a good excuse for a head rub!)

Surely such a big lump of cancer cell's being killed must have some sort of smell? Flesh smells as it rots, why not cancer?

Whilst I'm on the subject of cancer senses. I also sometimes get a dull ache in my affected breast and frequently get a dull stabbing pain directly where that lump is, mainly in week two of my chemo cycle. After speaking to other women this seems to be a common thing. I like to think it's the cancer cells screaming as they die.

On a huge positive note finish, I am really struggling to feel that lump now! Chemotherapy is a wonderful and amazing thing, despite its nasty side effects, it really is magic! Xx