Liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry is proving highly valuable for lung cancer screening. This technique helps doctors spot tell-tale chemical signs of cancer in the body, often catching the disease early when treatment works best.
Researchers from China and the University of Alberta recently made strong progress with this approach using a simple blood draw. They studied blood samples from 410 people, including healthy volunteers and patients with lung cancer at different stages. Using LC-MS, they measured levels of many small molecules in the blood that reflect how cells are working.
The team created a test based on just six of these molecules. It correctly identified lung cancer cases, including early ones, with high accuracy — around 95 per cent for overall detection and 94 per cent for early-stage disease.
They built the test on part of their group and checked it carefully on the remaining samples to ensure it held up. The researchers used blood from patients whose cancer was confirmed by tissue samples, and they matched the groups by age and other factors for fairness. Cancer cells change how the body handles energy and fats, leading to clear differences in blood molecule levels compared to healthy people.
“These promising results suggest that a minimally invasive, high-performing, high-throughput, low-cost lung cancer screening assay, based on plasma metabolite measurements, could be developed,” the authors concluded.
They say it can theoretically use as little as 10 microlitres of plasma and be performed in a matter of minutes with a standard clinical-grade mass spectrometer.
“This assay could be used to select patients for further follow-up and confirmation using LDCT or other lung imaging modalities,” they added.
The team highlighted that their test may lead to an affordable blood screen suited to places like China, where lung cancer rates are rising.
Read more: Breath Diagnostics advances pre-op pneumonia screening with FDA breakthrough designation
LC-MS shows promise beyond blood
This advance adds to LC-MS success in lung cancer screening using different body samples. In blood, companies like BioMark Diagnostics Inc (OTCMKTS: BMKDF) (CNSX: BUX) (FRA: 2OB) have developed tests that track specific molecule changes linked to cancer growth, supporting early detection and monitoring.
In addition, Seer Inc (NASDAQ: SEER) is currently researching advanced particle-based methods with LC-MS to analyse thousands of proteins in blood plasma. This helps uncover detailed patterns for spotting lung cancer early.
Liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry is also proving its value for breath analysis methods used to detect the disease. Breath Diagnostics’ OneBreath system gets people to exhale into a device that captures vapour compounds. It then uses LC-MS to analyse them, showing strong results in trials with hundreds of patients for detecting early lung cancer without radiation or discomfort.
This range of sample types gives researchers more options for early detection. LC-MS continues to show value as a precise tool for identifying chemical signs of lung cancer.
Read more: Prestigious medtech intelligence firm recognizes Breath Diagnostics for innovation
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