Scientists Inch Closer to Developing a Lung Cancer Blood Test

Unlike prostate, colon and breast cancers, the screening for lung cancer hasn’t been very successful. This is largely because screening focuses on just one risk factor, smoking history, yet many people who develop the disease don’t have a history of smoking. Now, scientists have made progress in developing a blood test that could help in flagging individuals who are at a higher risk of developing lung cancer. 

A new study whose findings appeared in JAMA suggests that it could be possible to scan blood samples and identify signs of possible lung cancer. 

The test focused on 13 biomarkers and the researchers found that it could identify 85% of lung cancer cases among smokers. Current screening methods using CT scans can only capture 63% of such cases, making the blood test a superior screening tool. 

To develop the test, the research team started with 1,200 proteins they suspected played a role in lung cancer. After analyzing data on thousands of former smokers and current smokers, this list was whittled down to only 13 proteins. Mathias Johansson, one of the co-leads of the research, explains that some of those 13 proteins were already known to play a role in lung cancer while some on that list were new. 

The researchers say their goal isn’t to replace the current testing method that relies on CT scans. Instead, they want to provide a less costly approach that doesn’t come with the risks linked to radiation exposure as CT scans are conducted. Those flagged by the blood test can then undergo the CT scan while those who pass the blood test don’t have to undergo CT scans. 

This blood test was designed with smokers or former smokers in mind, but it could potentially be used for those without a smoking history. 

The blood test is still in its early development stages and the team hopes that a larger study they conduct in the near future will provide further validation of their concept. The success of this test could help to complement current screening protocols because the current method can be used for individuals who qualify for screening under the existing recommendations while those who don’t qualify under those guidelines can be subjected to the blood test. 

As it gets easier to detect lung cancer earlier, new treatment modalities like those being developed by Calidi Biotherapeutics Inc. (NYSE American: CLDI) and therapies under development by other firms can stand a better chance of delivering improved clinical outcomes once the disease is caught early. 

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