Combined blood and CT imaging tests to diagnose lung cancer
Clinical Utility of a Combined Biomarker Approach to Diagnose Lung Cancer
This project checks whether combining blood markers and advanced CT image analysis can help doctors tell which lung nodules are cancerous for people with suspicious lung nodules.
Quick facts
| Grant type | U01 cooperative agreement |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Vanderbilt University Medical Center NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Nashville, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11178443 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
As a patient, this work aims to combine blood-based markers (like CYFRA 21-1 and a Histoplasmosis EIA) with CT image analysis (radiomics) to improve diagnosis of indeterminate pulmonary nodules (IPNs). Researchers will expand and use a large biorepository of blood samples and CT scans from national cohorts such as the National Lung Screening Trial and the EDRN to test the combined approach. The project will validate whether the combined biospecimen and radiomic biomarkers can reduce unnecessary invasive procedures for benign nodules and shorten the time to diagnose cancer. If successful, these tests could be used alongside routine CT scans to make lung nodule evaluation less invasive and faster.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates are people who have a new or indeterminate lung nodule on a CT scan or who are enrolled in a lung cancer screening program.
Not a fit: People without lung nodules, those whose diagnosis is already clear, or those with widely metastatic disease are unlikely to benefit from this work.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could reduce unnecessary lung biopsies and help cancers be found and treated sooner.
How similar studies have performed: Individual blood markers and radiomic CT tools have shown promise in earlier studies, but combining and validating them across large patient cohorts is still relatively new.
Where this research is happening
Nashville, United States
- Vanderbilt University Medical Center — Nashville, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Grogan, Eric L — Vanderbilt University Medical Center
- Study coordinator: Grogan, Eric L
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.