Blood test spots 14 proteins that predict lung cancer risk up to five years early

Article excerpt

Researchers have identified 14 blood proteins that can predict lung cancer risk up to five years before symptoms appear, potentially expanding screening beyond current age and smoking-history criteria. The discovery addresses a major gap: standard lung cancer screening misses never-smokers and people exposed to high pollution levels who face genuine disease risk. While mutations alone rarely trigger tumors, environmental triggers, combustion exhaust, coal burning, cigarette smoke, can activate mutant cells into cancer. The blood test could identify at-risk individuals years before diagnosis, opening doors to earlier intervention and prevention strategies for populations currently excluded from screening programs.