Blood test may predict lung cancer years in advance, study says

Lung cancer is one of the more common cancers affecting people worldwide. This is mainly thanks to smoking and, to a lesser extent, air pollution and occupational exposure. According to the latest World Health Organization estimates, there are about 2.5 million new cases and 1.8 million deaths every year. Prevention offers the ideal solution to this public health problem.

Scientists are currently on the threshold of finding a new way to identify people who may be predisposed to developing lung cancer and protect them proactively. A multinational team, from almost a dozen countries, led by Charles Swanton of the Francis Crick Institute, London, published its findings on an exciting discovery in Cell on May 4.

The team has zeroed in on a set of 14 blood plasma proteins, which they call the “14-protein signature”, as a strong predictor of being diagnosed with lung cancer years in advance.

If validated further, the blood-based test could help flag high-risk individuals early, allowing for closer monitoring and preventive measures before tumors develop.