Developing technologies and areas of interest in lung cancer screening adjuncts

Abstract

Lung cancer remains the leading cause of cancer mortality. Screening guidelines have been implemented in the past decade to aid in earlier detection of at-risk groups. Nevertheless, computed tomography (CT) scans, the principal screening modality in use today, are still low yield, with 3.6% of lung cancer confirmed amongst 39.1% of lesions detected over a 3-year period. They also carry relatively high false positive rates, between 9% and 27%, which can bear unnecessary financial and emotional costs to patients. As such, research efforts have been dedicated to the development of lung cancer screening adjuncts to improve detection reliability. We herein review several emerging technologies in this specific arena and their efficacy. These include plasma markers (microDNA, DNA methylation, and tumor-associated antibodies), breath/sputum biomarkers [volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and exhaled breath condensate (EBC)], proteomics, metabolomics, and machine learning, such as radiomics technology. We find that, across the board, they offer promising results in terms of non-invasive diagnostics, genetic sequencing for higher-risk individuals, and accessibility for a diverse cohort of patients. While these screening adjuncts are unlikely to completely replace the current standard of care at the moment, continued research into these technologies is crucial to improve and personalize the identification, treatment, and outcome of lung cancer patients in the near future.

Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) Metabolomics: Current Applications in Equine Health Assessment

“…N time period was specified, and duplicate articles were removed. The investigation about possible markers that can be used for diagnostic and therapeutic purposes is very active in human medicine, and this is demonstrated by the publication of several recent papers concerning this topic [14][15][16]. Metabolomics can be used to clarify the pathogenetic mechanisms underlying certain diseases or even for research concerning mechanisms underlying the interaction between pathogens and the host.…”

“…Even if the only post-processing steps of the spec tra were referencing alanine's signals at 1.46 ppm and normalization, the horizontal pos tion of the signals (chemical-shift) from branched amino acids appears as perfectly con sistent across the entire samples' set. The investigation about possible markers that can be used for diagnostic and thera peutic purposes is very active in human medicine, and this is demonstrated by the publ cation of several recent papers concerning this topic [14][15][16]. Metabolomics can be used t clarify the pathogenetic mechanisms underlying certain diseases or even for research con cerning mechanisms underlying the interaction between pathogens and the host.…”