Current readings: blood-based biomarkers for lung cancer

Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer deaths worldwide largely owing to diagnosis of the disease at an advanced stage. Recent advances in blood-based biomarker research have the potential to reduce mortality by providing a means for detecting lung cancer at an earlier stage. Since the publication of the National Lung Cancer Screening Trial demonstrating reduction in mortality with computed tomography (CT) scan screening, the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force has released a draft statement recommending annual low-dose CT scan screening for high-risk patients. However, CT screening has a high false-positive rate leading to the need for additional imaging and invasive procedures. In this article, we review recent literature on blood-based lung cancer biomarkers that we believe will have a significant role in enhancing screening efficacy in the near future.