Researcher Stuart Schembri.Researcher Stuart Schembri.

A Maltese researcher is leading the world’s largest study into the early detection of lung cancer.

Stuart Schembri, of the University of Dundee, is the co-chief investigator of the Early Lung Cancer Detection Study (ECLS), which is investigating the use of a blood test.

Funded by the Scottish Government and the company that developed the test, Oncimmune, the study is recruiting 10,000 participants in Scotland from Tayside and Greater Glasgow and Clyde. The study brings together researchers from the Universities of Dundee, Glasgow and Nottingham, Tayside Clinical Trials Unit and National Health Services of Scotland.

It uses a new blood test called EarlyCDT-Lung which, it is hoped, will pick up lung cancer at a stage when it can be treated promptly and hopefully cured.

“Lung cancer kills more people than any other cancer, with 5,000 people in Scotland dying from the disease every year,” Dr Schembri said.

“There are often few symptoms until the cancer has been growing for a long time and perhaps spread.

Lung cancer kills more people than any other

“So of every 10 people found to have lung cancer, nine are unfortunately inoperable,” he added.

“The blood is taken locally, either in Dundee, Glasgow or at a GP practice, and the tests are processed in the United States where we look for the presence of certain proteins that the body produces in response to tumours,” Dr Schembri explained.

He pointed out that they were expecting that 400 to 500 participants in this study “will have a positive test result” and would be offered a chest X-ray and a series of CT scans over the next two years “as we monitor their health and, if necessary, intervene”.

Not everyone with a positive test will have, or go on to develop, lung cancer.

ECLS is a randomised study with a test and a no-test control group, which means half of all blood samples will not be tested.

By following up the health data of participants over the next 10 years, researchers will be able to measure if the blood test is reliable at detecting early cancer and whether it actually saves lives.

A decision could then be made on establishing a nationwide lung cancer screening programme, similar to bowel cancer screening, which is also led by the University of Dundee.

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