New Blood Test May Predict Lung Cancer Risk Years Before Diagnosis

A groundbreaking Australian study has identified a unique blood signature that may predict an individual’s risk of developing lung cancer more than five years before diagnosis.

The findings, published in the journal Cell, offer a promising avenue for earlier detection and prevention.

Researchers believe the discovery could identify people for preventive treatment years before lung cancer develops.

On Friday, the research team at the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research (WEHI) analysed more than 48,000 blood samples. The institute released a statement outlining the findings of the study.

The scientists identified a 14-protein blood signature capable of predicting lung cancer risk within five years.

The researchers validated the findings across eight international datasets.

The signature successfully predicted risk in both smokers and non-smokers, broadening its potential application across diverse populations.

Scientists suggested that the blood signature does not originate from tumours. Instead, it reflects changes in the lung’s inflammatory environment that occur before cancer develops. This discovery points to a pre-disease stage during which medical intervention may prove effective.

Lung cancer remains the leading cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide.

Current screening programmes primarily target older individuals with a history of smoking.

As a result, many cases remain undetected until the disease reaches advanced stages.

Dr Clare Weeden said the findings could improve screening programmes in Australia and worldwide.

“In doing so, these findings bring us closer to a future where early intervention is possible, even before the cancer has a chance to develop,” said Weeden, who researched while working at the Francis Crick Institute in Britain.

Charlie Swanton, Clinical Research Director at the Crick Institute, said the study strengthens evidence that several age-related diseases may share a common presymptomatic inflammatory state. He added that the blood signature could eventually help predict and prevent lung cancer and other respiratory illnesses.