SLC7A11 and NLRP1 in non-small cell lung cancer

To critically evaluate SLC7A11 (solute carrier family 7 member 11) and NLRP1 (NOD-like receptor family pyrin domain containing 1) as clinical laboratory biomarkers in NSCLC, with emphasis on preanalytical control, assay selection/validation, and decision-use cases. Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) requires strong and standard biomarkers for diagnosis, outcome prediction, and treatment tracking. This review examines the readiness and utility of two markers, SLC7A11 and NLRP1. SLC7A11 helps control cell death, and NLRP1 is associated with inflammation. Studies have shown that these markers are related to disease risk, survival, and treatment response. However, differences in study methods make cross-study comparisons difficult to conduct. For SLC7A11 (small-molecule/DNA-adjacent or tissue assays): use citrate plasma for liquid biopsy workflows (with strict QC) and process within ≤4 h; short-term 2-8 °C, long-term -80 °C, ≤2 freeze-thaws. For NLRP1 (protein/cytokine readouts): prefer heparin plasma or serum, process within ≤4 h, store as above, and cap freeze-thaw at ≤2. For both markers, the target was 85-115 % accuracy, <15 % coefficient of variation (CV), defined limit of detection (LOD) / lower limit of quantification (LLOQ), and participation in external quality assessment (EQA). Standardized biomarker reporting will accelerate decision-limit setting and clinical validation in NSCLC.