Molecular tumor markers for predictive diagnosis and monitoring of lung cancer

Abstract

Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer deaths in many developed countries. One of the reasons lung cancer is at the top of the list is that it is often not diagnosed until the cancer reaches advanced stages. Current diagnosis of lung cancer includes various types of imaging supplemented by pathological evaluation of biopsies, but these methods are insufficient to detect lung cancer in the early stages. In recent years, the study of various molecular markers in biological fluids of the human body has become a relevant area for improving the quality of methods for early diagnosis and monitoring of cancer. In particular, saliva, sputum, blood and urine, as informative samples, have several advantages for use in diagnostic studies due to their easy bioavailability. Most published biomarkers are detected using PCR, metabolomics or other molecular biology methods, which provide a rapid diagnosis to initiate timely therapy. This literature review is devoted to the advantages and disadvantages of modern methods used in the diagnosis of lung cancer, as well as the analysis of a potential panel of tumor markers that can be used as predictors of the development and progression of this pathology. A detailed analysis of the results of numerous studies suggests that molecules such as CYFRA 21-1, GRP, SCCA, NSE, CEA and CA 72-4 individually do not have sufficient sensitivity and specificity to be used as independent biomarkers for the diagnosis of specific cancers diseases. Despite this, their application can be quite useful for predicting relapses and the dynamics of metastases, as well as for monitoring the effectiveness of chemotherapy in patients with already progressing cancer.