Panel of serum biomarkers may reduce number of lung biopsies needed

March 15, 2012 in Cancer

A panel of serum biomarkers could help predict the level of lung cancer risk in high-risk patients, offering doctors an option before proceeding with a biopsy. Research presented in the April 2012 issue of the International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer's (IASLC) Journal of Thoracic Oncology shows that a panel of 10 serum protein biomarkers could help in the lung cancer diagnosis. The biomarkers include: prolactin, transthyretin, thrombospondin-1, E-selectin, C-C motif chemokine 5, macrophage migration inhibitory factor, plasminogen activator inhibitor-1, receptor tyrosine-protein kinase erbB-2, Cyfra 21.1 and serum amyloid A. Further work is necessary to validate these exciting results.

In June, the National Lung Screening Trial showed that lung cancer deaths fell by 20 percent and all-cause mortality fell by 7 percent when heavy smokers were screened regularly using low-dose spiral computed tomography (CT) compared with standard chest x-ray. The problem is that often these screenings can present false positive results.

According to the study, "about 20 percent of the 1-2 cm nodules that are concerning enough to be considered for biopsy are actually malignant. Given the substantial risks of invasive diagnostic thoracic procedures, unselective biopsy of every person with a small nodule is clinically unacceptable."

The researchers conclude that these biomarkers have potential to aid in the early detection of lung cancer by adding to the information gathered by CT screening. The analysis was carried out from patients enrolled in the Pittsburgh Lung Screening Study, which is funded by the Specialized Program of Research Excellence (SPORE) in Lung Cancer.

The lead author of this work is Dr. William Bigbee and IASLC member co-authors include Dr. David Wilson, Dr. Jill Siegfried and Dr. Sanja Dacic.

Provided by International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer

not rated yet  

Rank not rated yet
Relevant PhysicsForums posts

More news stories

Small cancer risk following CT scans in childhood and adolescence confirmed

The gap between life expectancy in patients with a mental illness and the general population has widened since 1985 and efforts to reduce this gap should focus on improving physical health, suggest researchers in a paper ...

Cancer created 1 hour ago | popularity not rated yet | comments 0

Changing cancer's environment to halt its spread

By studying the roles two proteins, thrombospondin-1 and prosaposin, play in discouraging cancer metastasis, a trans-Atlantic research team has identified a five-amino acid fragment of prosaposin that significantly reduces ...

Cancer created 2 hours ago | popularity not rated yet | comments 0

Novel RNA-based classification system for colorectal cancer

A novel transcriptome-based classification of colon cancer that improves the current disease stratification based on clinicopathological variables and common DNA markers is presented in a study published in PLOS Medicine this w ...

Cancer created 2 hours ago | popularity not rated yet | comments 0

Low radiation scans help identify cancer in earliest stages

A study of veterans at high risk for developing lung cancer shows that low-dose computed tomography (LDCT) can be highly effective in helping clinicians spot tiny lung nodules which, in a small number of patients, may indicate ...

Cancer created 4 hours ago | popularity not rated yet | comments 0

Poliovirus vaccine trial shows early promise for recurrent glioblastoma

An attack on glioblastoma brain tumor cells that uses a modified poliovirus is showing encouraging results in an early study to establish the proper dose level, researchers at Duke Cancer Institute report.

Cancer created 6 hours ago | popularity not rated yet | comments 0


New sleeping pill poised to hit US markets

An experimental sleeping pill from US drug company Merck is effective at helping people fall and stay asleep, according to reviewers at the US Food and Drug Administration, which could soon approve the new drug.

If you can remember it, you can remember it wrong

(Medical Xpress)—Native peoples in regions where cameras are uncommon sometimes react with caution when their picture is taken. The fear that something must have been stolen from them to create the photo ...

Reducing caloric intake delays nerve cell loss

Activating an enzyme known to play a role in the anti-aging benefits of calorie restriction delays the loss of brain cells and preserves cognitive function in mice, according to a study published in the May ...

B vitamins could delay dementia

(Medical Xpress)—Despite spending billions of dollars on research and development, drug companies have been unable to come up with effective treatments for dementia and Alzheimer's Disease (AD). Now, A. ...

Antidepressant reduces stress-induced heart condition

A drug commonly used to treat depression and anxiety may improve a stress-related heart condition in people with stable coronary heart disease, according to researchers at Duke Medicine.

Life expectancy gap widens between those with mental illness and general population

The gap between life expectancy in patients with a mental illness and the general population has widened since 1985 and efforts to reduce this gap should focus on improving physical health, suggest researchers in a paper ...