Blood Protein Test Predicts Lung Cancer Years before Diagnosis.

A 14-protein blood test predicts lung cancer risk more than 5 years before detection, including in never-smokers outside current screening criteria.

• Why it matters: Early identification of high-risk individuals can improve prevention and treatment strategies for lung cancer, especially for those not covered by existing screening methods.
• What they did: Researchers conducted a retrospective analysis of a 14-protein blood test that identified high-risk individuals and predicted benefit from canakinumab, an anti-IL-1β drug.
• The result: The test distinguished high-risk individuals who experienced roughly a 50% reduction in lung cancer incidence with canakinumab, enabling targeted prevention efforts.