New Plasma Biomarker Identified for the Diagnosis of Lung Cancer
A new plasma biomarker, isocitrate dehydrogenase 1 (IDH1), has been shown to be more sensitive in detecting non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) than currently used biomarkers, including CEA, Cyfra21-1, and CA125, according to a study published in Clinical Cancer Research. The study by Jie He, MD, PhD, Director of the Laboratory of Thoracic Surgery at the Peking Union Medical College and Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences in Beijing, and colleagues used blood samples from 943 patients with NSCLC and 479 healthy controls. The patients were enrolled between 2007 and 2011 from the Cancer Institute and Hospital of the Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences. None of the study participants had a cancer diagnosis, nor were they treated for cancer in the 3 years prior to the study.
Study Methods and Results
The researchers used ELISA and ECL assays to measure the levels of IDH1, CEA, Cyfra21-1, and CA125 in the study participants’ blood. The samples were then randomly divided into a training set and a test set to validate the detection efficiency of IDH1 and establish diagnostic mathematical models. They found that the data obtained from the test set were as good as those from the training set, showing the sensitivity of IDH1 as a biomarker for lung cancer diagnosis.
IDH1 could be detected in the blood of lung cancer patients with 76% sensitivity and 77% specificity. In addition, when the researchers used a mathematical model to combine the detection of IDH1 with the detection of existing markers CEA, Cyfra21-1, and CA125, the sensitivity increased to 86%.
The median IDH1 levels in patients with two types of lung cancer, adenocarcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma, were 2.7-fold and 2.2-fold higher, respectively, compared with the healthy controls. The researchers also found that combining the detection of all four markers, IDH1, CEA, Cyfra21-1, and CA125, helped to better classify different types of adenocarcinoma, compared with detection with IDH1 alone. Dr. He is planning on conducting a multicenter clinical trial for further validation of IDH1.
The researchers concluded that IDH1 can be used as a plasma biomarker for the diagnosis of NSCLCs, especially lung adenocarcinoma, with relatively high sensitivity and specificity.
“Based on the present data, IDH1 can be used to detect stage I lung cancer; however, it is also possible that IDH1 could be used to detect precancer but further studies are required to address that possibility,” said Dr. He in a statement. “Our research also suggests IDH1 may be involved in the development of lung cancer, and it may be a good target for the treatment of NSCLC.”
The study authors reported no conflicts of interest.
The study was funded in part by the National High Technology Research and Development Program of China, the International Science and Technology Corporation and Exchange Project, the National Natural Science Foundation of China, the Doctoral Fund of Ministry of Education of China, and the Government Health Care Research Foundation for Senior Officials
The content in this post has not been reviewed by the American Society of Clinical Oncology, Inc. (ASCO®) and does not necessarily reflect the ideas and opinions of ASCO®.
