Method for Identifying and Monitoring Lung Cancer Patients Using Gene Expression in Blood Cells

Investigator: Louise C. Showe

Tech ID: SL07001

Description: Researchers at The Wistar Institute have identified a group of genes in peripheral blood cells that are biomarkers of early stage lung cancer, which can be used to develop a screening, diagnostic, or monitoring assay for lung cancer.  While early detection and early treatment of cancer produce the best outcomes, today there is no routine screening test for lung cancer in patients at high risk for the disease.  The available screening modalities for smokers and others at high risk for lung cancer (e.g. bronchoscopy, sputum cytology, chest x-ray or low-dose CT scans) are either expensive and or have a high false positive rate.  As a result, 50% of new lung cancers are diagnosed at Stage IIIb or IV and the mortality rate of this disease has not improved over the last 30 years.

Peripheral blood samples can provide an easily accessible and affordable means for screening and monitoring individuals at risk for developing lung cancer. Wistar researchers have identified and characterized gene expression patterns in peripheral blood cells that show strong associations with the presence of early stage (Stage 1A and 1B) lung cancers.  These researchers have identified gene expression patterns that can distinguish patients with early stage lung cancer from individuals with smoking related inflammatory lung disease or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). These gene patterns can be readily analyzed in a blood sample and can identify patients with lung cancer with an accuracy of 87% using just 15 genes.  Such a test can be used to screen smokers and others at high risk for lung cancer since the assay does not require a lung biopsy.  Surgical removal of the lung cancer reduces or eliminates the cancer gene expression pattern in the peripheral blood so expression of the same set of genes can be used to monitor patients for tumor recurrence following treatment.

Key Words: cancer diagnosis, biomarkers, lung cancer, blood tests

Applications and Advantages: The technology can be used to develop a screening, diagnostic, or monitoring assay for lung cancer. The method is rapid, requires only a small blood sample, and is compatible with a number of standard analytical platforms such as quantitative PCR and microarrays. An important advantage of the system is that it differentiates lung cancer patients from high-risk patients without malignant disease, including smokers, former smokers, and COPD patients. This assay can become a minimally-invasive test for diagnosing and staging lung cancer, and for monitoring patients following treatment. 

Intellectual Property Status: This technology is protected by a provisional patent application.

Licensing Opportunity:Wistar is seeking corporate partners to collaborate in using this technology to develop a cancer diagnostic and monitoring tool. An exclusive license or sponsored research agreement would be considered.

Reference: In preparation

Contact:

Meryle J. Melnicoff
Director, Business Development
The Wistar Institute
3601 Spruce Street
Philadelphia, PA 19104
Phone: (215) 898-0049
Fax: (215) 573-2456
melnicoff@wistar.org

Last updated: Feb. 08