Simple technique is based on cancer DNA and seems accurate for use after chest CT scan, researchers say
TUESDAY, Feb. 28, 2017 (HealthDay News) — DNA-based biomarkers in the nasal passages may be able to reveal whether a lung lesion is cancerous or not, according to a study published online Feb. 27 in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute.
The new study involved patients — current or former smokers — undergoing diagnostic evaluation for pulmonary lesions suspicious for lung cancer. The participants were enrolled at 28 medical centers in North America and Europe. The researchers took nasal swabs from the patients.
The team identified a pattern of 30 genes that were differentially expressed in patients confirmed to have lung cancer.
“These results support that the airway epithelial field of lung cancer-associated injury in ever smokers extends to the nose and demonstrates the potential of using nasal gene expression as a noninvasive biomarker for lung cancer detection,” the authors write.
Two authors disclosed receiving fees from medical companies, and one author disclosed related patents.
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