14 Protein Signature – Early Lung Cancer Prediction

Why in News?

Recently, Scientists find a blood test that predicts lung cancer years early.

• Discovery – A multinational team led by Charles Swanton (Francis Crick Institute, London) published a study in Cell, identifying a 14-protein blood plasma signature.
• 14-protein signature – It is a groundbreaking blood-based risk test (Liquid Biopsy) that detects subtle, cancer-promoting inflammatory changes in the blood plasma.
• Plasma Proteomics – Blood plasma contains thousands of proteins from all organs; the set of proteins is called the plasma proteome and the systematic study is called proteomics.
• Liquid Biopsy – Non‑invasive; doctors take a blood plasma sample, which carries protein signals from all organs.

Traditional Biopsy – Invasive; doctors cut or insert a needle into the lung to test tissue.

Mechanism

• Blood plasma acts like a river carrying protein “messages” from organs.
• Variation – Healthy organs release normal proteins; diseased organs release abnormal ones and blood sample gives a real‑time snapshot of these proteins.
• Data Source – The team used data from 48,000 volunteers in the U.K. Biobank, then applied AI/machine learning to compare healthy vs lung cancer cases.
• Discovery – Found a specific pattern of 14 proteins in the blood.
• Early warning – 14‑protein signature in blood plasma acts as an early warning, predicting lung cancer years before tumours appear on scans.
• Research findings – In most cases smoking and air pollution caused inflammation, that awakens dormant mutant lung cells, which eventually become cancer cells.

CANTOS (Canakinumab Anti-inflammatory Thrombosis Outcome Study) Trial

• A major medical research study designed to test a new way of preventing heart attacks.
• The Original Purpose – To prevent heart attacks by lowering a patient's cholesterol.
• However, the CANTOS trial aimed to test whether reducing inflammation could lower the risk of heart attacks.
• Retrospective Analysis – Scientists re‑examined the trial data and found that among 2,300 participants with the 14‑protein signature, those given canakinumab had 50% lower risk of lung cancer.
• Implication – Canakinumab could potentially prevent lung cancer in people showing the 14‑protein signature.
• Latent issue – Canakinumab has some severe, toxic side effects and is incredibly expensive, therefore scientists are using the lessons of CANTOS trial to look for other alternative options.

Reference

The Hindu | 14 Protein Signature