Several emerging methods offer hope for early lung cancer detection

New techniques for identifying lung cancer earlier are showing promise, according to presentations at the 3rd European Lung Cancer Conference (ELCC) in Geneva. A fast and inexpensive new imaging technique, called digital chest tomosynthesis, is a promising method for lung cancer screening, showing the same results as a CT scan, but at a lower price. A blood test that detects antibodies to a protein known as BARD1 could also be used to detect the telltale signs of lung cancer, say researchers from University Hospitals Geneva. Additionally, a 'nano artificial nose' that mimics the human olfactory system can sniff out cancers in the breath, reports PhD student Meggie Hakim, from the lab of Prof Hossam Haick at the Technion–Israel Institute of Technology. In another study, researchers describe promising results with a novel approach to screening for lung cancer by examining the cells on the inside of their cheek.