Researchers developed biomarker for distinguishing between benign and malignant lung nodules, which was found to be 98% effective in a recent multicenter clinical trial.
Researchers from the Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC) carried out study named as Pulmonary Nodule Plasma Proteomic Classifier (PANOPTIC). Around 685 patients (aged 40 years or older) with newly discovered lung nodules 8−30 mm in diameter, were involved in clinical trial. Research team evaluated the accuracy of a blood test or biomarker that measures levels of two plasma proteins, LG3BP and C163A, integrated with clinical predictors of cancer, including age, nodule size and other nodule characteristics. The study was published in journal Chest on April 21, 2018.
In the US, healthcare providers discover more than 1.6 million lung nodules in patients annually. Many of the nodules are detected incidentally, during evaluation for an unrelated issue such as a chest X-ray. Incidentally detected nodules are later found to be benign and they present a diagnostic dilemma for healthcare providers. High-risk nodules may more invasive testing such as biopsy or surgery. The biomarker can provide accurate diagnosis and treatment plans. If a patient’s likelihood of having cancer is less than 50% and the test result for the integrated classifier is negative, the patient is unlikely to have cancer.
Gerard Silvestri, Lead Author said that anything that can make physicians feel more confident about how to manage patients would be helpful: “The goal of this research, and other research like this, is to quickly evaluate and treat patients with cancerous nodules, while never exposing patients who don’t have cancer to invasive costly and sometimes risky procedures.”