This is genuinely encouraging. The combination of a validated 14-protein blood signature that predicts lung cancer years ahead with a mechanistically targeted intervention (IL-1β blockade) that dramatically improves the number needed to treat feels like a real step toward practical primary prevention. It elegantly turns a serendipitous observation from the CANTOS trial into a coherent, testable strategy. Thank you for highlighting this work so clearly.
I hope you don't mind that I suggest two small corrections:
Where you say: "And the high-risk group were the people who drive marked benefit" should probably be: "And the high-risk group were the people who derive marked benefit."
Second, the phrase “effect than either along” should be “ effect than either alone," I think.
I love these topics. Thanks for making the important content so accessible.
In some ways, identifying cancer 5 or even 10 years in advance of clinical diagnosis poses a new methodological problem. What exactly are we detecting and how do we handle it? Regardless, it presents exciting new opportunities for prevention. Also, if early diagnosis makes it possible to detect disease at a more treatment-amenable stage, then this could also result in major advances in treatment. Alzheimer's is perhaps the canonical example. Proteins like NEFL, etc. make it possible to pick up Alzheimer's well before the typical clinical diagnosis (it also provides an important objective measure). Maybe, just maybe, this will make Alzheimer's more treatable, slowing cognitive decline before it becomes too incapacitating.
This is genuinely encouraging. The combination of a validated 14-protein blood signature that predicts lung cancer years ahead with a mechanistically targeted intervention (IL-1β blockade) that dramatically improves the number needed to treat feels like a real step toward practical primary prevention. It elegantly turns a serendipitous observation from the CANTOS trial into a coherent, testable strategy. Thank you for highlighting this work so clearly.
thanks Brian!
I hope you don't mind that I suggest two small corrections:
Where you say: "And the high-risk group were the people who drive marked benefit" should probably be: "And the high-risk group were the people who derive marked benefit."
Second, the phrase “effect than either along” should be “ effect than either alone," I think.
I love these topics. Thanks for making the important content so accessible.
Thanks for these corrections!
And at least 3 more types of cancer to come with AUC of ~0.9: chronic lymphocytic leukemia, multiple myeloma, and liver (first two are published, see https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.64898/2025.12.08.25341832v1 for liver results).
In some ways, identifying cancer 5 or even 10 years in advance of clinical diagnosis poses a new methodological problem. What exactly are we detecting and how do we handle it? Regardless, it presents exciting new opportunities for prevention. Also, if early diagnosis makes it possible to detect disease at a more treatment-amenable stage, then this could also result in major advances in treatment. Alzheimer's is perhaps the canonical example. Proteins like NEFL, etc. make it possible to pick up Alzheimer's well before the typical clinical diagnosis (it also provides an important objective measure). Maybe, just maybe, this will make Alzheimer's more treatable, slowing cognitive decline before it becomes too incapacitating.