Scientists have made a significant step forward in developing a blood test that could detect cancer – including lung cancer – before symptoms appear.
A team from Johns Hopkins University has piloted a test that identifies eight common forms of cancer. Ovarian cancer was the easiest to detect, followed by liver, stomach, pancreas, oesophageal, colorectal, then lung and breast cancer.
Nickolas Papadopoulous, Professor of Oncology at Johns Hopkins University and senior author on the paper, said:
“The use of a combination of selected biomarkers for early detection has the potential to change the way we screen for cancer, and it is based on the same rationale for using combinations of drugs to treat cancer.”
Early detection saves lives
Detecting cancer at an early stage massively increases a patient’s chance of survival. For lung cancer, individuals with early-stage disease have up to a 73% chance of surviving for five years or more.
“We are really encouraged by these latest results. However, we know first-hand that lung cancer is highly complex and are not surprised that, out of the eight cancers this test has shown to identify, lung cancer is one of the more difficult. A number of our researchers are working on developing a blood test and, as with everything we do, our focus is solely on lung cancer.”
Paula Chadwick, CEO of Roy Castle Lung Cancer Foundation
Lung cancer survival rates continue to lag behind many other cancers because symptoms often appear only when the disease is advanced. Consequently, the majority of patients receive their diagnosis too late. Over a third of lung cancer cases are diagnosed at Accident and Emergency department.
Roy Castle Lung Cancer Foundation research
Paula Chadwick, CEO for Roy Castle Lung Cancer Foundation, comments:
“Early diagnosis is the closest thing lung cancer has to a silver bullet. As the only UK lung cancer charity, early detection is our main priority because we know the significant impact it could have on people’s lives.
“We are really encouraged by these latest results. However, we know first-hand that lung cancer is highly complex and are not surprised that, out of the eight cancers this test has shown to identify, lung cancer is one of the more difficult.
“A number of our researchers are working on developing a blood test and, as with everything we do, our focus is solely on lung cancer. One project, coming out of the University for Liverpool, is showing much promise.”
The Foundation funds lung cancer research across the UK. One project has shown that lung cancer can be detected in patients’ blood using RNA – tiny chains of nucleic acid enclosed in vesicles. These vesicles are released either by tumour cells or interacting body cells.
Blood test research at University of Liverpool
Dr Lakis Liloglou is working on a blood test which could detect lung cancer specifically.
Dr Lakis Liloglou leads the project, alongside colleague Dr Amelia Acha-Sagredo. They presented their findings at the recent UK Extracellular Vesicle Forum at the University of Birmingham. Dr Liloglou said:
“We are extremely hopeful that this technology will allow us to develop a test to enable diagnosing asymptomatic lung cancer patients and therefore significantly reduce mortality by allowing early treatment”.
The pilot study’s promising results earned Dr Liloglou additional funding from the Roy Castle Lung Cancer Foundation. He will continue the research and work on developing a fully functioning diagnostic assay.