Blood protein signals may predict lung cancer risk years in advance.

The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research in Australia recently released a statement stating that an international collaborative study involving researchers from the institute found that a group of blood protein signals may indicate the risk of developing lung cancer years before diagnosis, helping to identify high-risk populations earlier. The research team analyzed plasma protein data from over 48,000 participants in the UK Biobank and identified 14 proteins that can predict the risk of developing lung cancer within the next 5 years. The researchers then validated the effectiveness of this group of proteins in 8 international datasets, including those without a history of smoking. The researchers pointed out that current lung cancer screening programs are often aimed at high-risk populations such as those with a history of smoking, but some lung cancer patients have no history of smoking, and many cases are diagnosed at a late stage. This new group of proteins is expected to help identify high-risk populations earlier and expand existing screening and prevention strategies.