Early Research Suggests a Path to Predict and Prevent Lung Cancer

Article excerpt

Researchers have pinpointed proteins in the blood that may predict who will develop lung cancer, and identified a drug that could reduce tumor risk in people carrying these markers. The findings, still in early stages, offer a potential new approach to prevention rather than treatment, a shift that could eventually help smokers and former smokers catch the disease before it starts. Scientists say the work represents years of effort to move beyond detecting cancer after symptoms appear, though larger studies are needed before the drug strategy can be tested in patients.