Ultra-Sensitive Blood Test Shows Promise in Predicting Lung Cancer Outcomes

A new study published in Nature Medicine demonstrates the potential of a highly sensitive blood test to predict outcomes for early-stage lung cancer patients. Led by researchers from the Francis Crick Institute, the team evaluated the NeXT Personal platform, which can detect minute amounts of circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) in blood samples.

The study analyzed blood plasma samples from 171 early-stage lung cancer patients in the TRACERx cohort. Results showed that patients with low ctDNA levels before surgery had better chances of avoiding relapse and improved overall survival rates compared to those with high ctDNA levels.

James Black, first author of the study, emphasized the test's predictive power: “We’ve shown that the presence or absence of tumour DNA in the blood was strongly predictive of prognosis. ctDNA testing, especially using ultrasensitive platforms, could help clinicians make more informed decisions about treatment and give patients a more accurate idea of how their disease might progress. More research to validate these tests will help to get them on the agenda for regular clinical use.”

The NeXT Personal platform's high sensitivity allows detection of ctDNA at levels as low as 1 part per million, reducing the risk of false negatives for patients with lower ctDNA amounts. This improved accuracy could potentially help doctors tailor treatments more effectively.

Charles Swanton, senior author of the study, added “Lung cancer is one of the most common types of cancer in the UK, but it’s hard to treat with a high relapse rate. It’s vital to understand who would benefit from more aggressive treatment, especially for patients with Stage 1 disease who are often diagnosed during CT screening for those at a higher risk. Using sensitive ctDNA tests is one way to do this, which we hope will maximise clinical benefit and minimise unnecessary treatment for individual patients.”

The researchers plan to further assess the test on post-operative samples from patients with the earliest stages of lung cancer to evaluate its potential in predicting future relapse risk. This could inform decisions about additional therapy after surgery, potentially increasing cure rates for patients.