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Review
. 2016 Oct;37(5):670-680.
doi: 10.1055/s-0036-1592314. Epub 2016 Oct 12.

The Pursuit of Noninvasive Diagnosis of Lung Cancer

Thomas Atwater  1 , Christine M Cook  1 , Pierre P Massion  2
Affiliations
Review

The Pursuit of Noninvasive Diagnosis of Lung Cancer

Thomas Atwater et al. Semin Respir Crit Care Med. 2016 Oct.

Abstract

The noninvasive diagnosis of lung cancer remains a formidable challenge. Although tissue diagnosis will remain the gold standard for the foreseeable future, questions pertaining to the risks and costs associated with invasive diagnostic procedures are of prime relevance. This review addresses new modalities for improving the noninvasive evaluation of suspicious lung nodules. Ultimately, the goal is to translate early diagnosis into early treatment. We discuss how biomarkers could assist in distinguishing benign from malignant nodules and aggressive from indolent tumors. The field of biomarkers is rapidly expanding and progressing, and efforts are well underway to apply molecular diagnostics to address the shortcomings of current lung cancer diagnostic tools.

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Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Early detection biomarker tests in the continuum of care.
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Metric for evaluation of clinical use of candidate biomarkers. Proposed metric for success is suggested for the level at or above the red arrows.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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