Simple Blood Test on a Chip Could Help Diagnose Lung Cancer

Researchers at Tel Aviv University have developed a new method for diagnosing lung cancer: a simple, fast, low-cost blood test that does not require DNA sequencing. The method identifies a chemical fingerprint of cancer cells in the blood, by analyzing cell-free DNA originating from those cells. In the study, the test distinguished between lung cancer patients and healthy individuals with a sensitivity of 93.1% and a specificity of 90.3% for patients with stage 2-4 disease.

The study was led by Prof. Yuval Ebenstein of the School of Chemistry at the Faculty of Exact Sciences, the Department of Biomedical Engineering and the Zimin Institute at Tel Aviv University, in collaboration with researchers from JaxBio Technologies, Bnai Zion Medical Center, and Sheba Medical Center. The paper was published in the journal Nature Precision Oncology.

A Different Approach to Lung Cancer Detection

Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer-related death worldwide. At present, early diagnosis relies primarily on CT scans, but these tests generate a high rate of suspicious findings that ultimately prove to be benign, sometimes leading to unnecessary biopsies and surgeries. At the same time, existing liquid biopsies are generally based on DNA sequencing, a costly and complex process requiring advanced computational infrastructures.

The new method bypasses the need for DNA sequencing. After extracting cell-free DNA from a blood sample, the researchers label it with a light-emitting marker and bind it to a DNA chip they have developed. The chip is then scanned with an optical scanner, and the resulting light patterns are analyzed, enabling rapid identification of the biological fingerprint of lung cancer.

More Than 90% Diagnostic Accuracy

The study included 103 participants: 51 lung cancer patients and 52 healthy control subjects. Following a model-training phase, the researchers developed a signature of 170 genomic regions, and tested it on a separate validation cohort using blinded analysis, achieving high diagnostic accuracy. In addition, they were able to distinguish between the two main subtypes of lung cancer - adenocarcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma - based on distinct DNA signatures.

Could the Same Test Help Monitor Treatment?

Beyond diagnosis, the researchers also examined the novel test's potential for monitoring patients' response to treatment. Among the patients evaluated, changes in the DNA's chemical fingerprint corresponded to imaging findings: in patients who responded to treatment, the chemical fingerprint shifted toward the profile of healthy individuals, whereas no significant change was observed in patients who did not respond to treatment. The researchers emphasize that this is only a preliminary finding and that large-scale studies are needed to confirm the method's monitoring capabilities.

According to the researchers, the technology's main advantage lies in combining simplicity, low cost, and speed. At present, the test can be completed within two to three days at a cost of approximately $60 per sample. They hope that in the future it will serve to complement imaging tests, assist in the early diagnosis of lung cancer, and enable more effective monitoring of treatment effectiveness.

Prof. Ebenstein concludes: "Our goal is to make blood tests for cancer diagnosis more accessible, simpler, and less expensive without compromising accuracy. We have developed a new approach that does not require genetic sequencing but instead identifies the tumor's chemical 'fingerprint' with light, using a technology that can be implemented in standard clinical laboratories. This is a significant step toward developing a tool that can complement imaging tests and help physicians diagnose lung cancer and monitor treatment effectiveness."

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