14-protein blood test predicts lung cancer risk years ahead

Scientists have identified a set of proteins in the blood that can predict a person's risk of developing lung cancer more than five years before diagnosis. The discovery, published in the journal Cell, could lead to more precise screening and preventative treatments for a disease that remains a leading cause of cancer death worldwide.

The research, a collaboration between the Francis Crick Institute and University College London, used machine learning to analyze blood plasma data from more than 48,000 participants in the UK Biobank. The algorithm identified a signature of 14 proteins that, when combined with factors like age and smoking history, could predict a future lung cancer diagnosis. The team validated this signature across eight independent international datasets, including groups of people who had never smoked.

Critically, the protein signature does not appear to come from a tumor itself. Instead, it reflects an altered, inflammatory state within the lungs that precedes cancer. This finding builds on the team's earlier work showing that environmental factors like air pollution can trigger inflammation, waking up dormant cells with cancer-causing mutations and pushing...