Page 15 - Inspire Magazine 2019

Under the microscope, all these lesions look
the same, making it difficult to establish which
ones to treat and which ones to leave alone.

However, this innovative study has discovered
the differences between lesions, allowing them
to accurately predict which ones will become
cancerous.

The research team, led by Professor Sam Janes
at University College London (UCL), believes
this information could be used to help
clinicians to decide whether to offer a patient
surgery at a much earlier stage of the disease
than is currently possible, while saving others The team studied biopsies of preinvasive lung
whose lesions are benign from enduring cancer lesions from patients from University
unnecessary surgery. College London Hospital (UCLH).

These findings could also help to develop a They conducted tests including gene
simple blood test to pick up the same expression profiling, methylation profiling and
molecular signals linked to early cancer whole-genome DNA sequencing.
development as well as leading to new
treatments. Patients were followed up for over five years
after their biopsy to see which of them
Professor Janes explains more: developed lung squamous cell carcinoma, one
of the two most common subtypes of lung
“Our study helps understand the earliest stage cancer.
of lung cancer development by figuring out
what’s going on inside these cells even before By checking the molecular profile of the lesions,
they become cancerous. the researchers found sufficient differences to
predict with near-perfect accuracy which of
“Using this information, we may be able to them would develop into cancer.
develop screening tests, such as blood tests,
and new treatments that could stop lung
cancer in its tracks.”

Co-author of the study, Dr Adam Pennycuick,
adds:

“If we use this understanding of cancer
development to create new diagnostic tests,
it may one day be invaluable in picking up lung
cancer early and enable people to access
treatment far sooner.”

The team is now continuing its research to
further understand how these genes are
driving lung cancer progression and see which INSPIRE 2019
could be targeted by new drug treatments.

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