PR Newswire
Mon, May 19, 2025, 7:55 PM 7 min read
, /PRNewswire/ -- In a bold step toward equitable cancer care, Gene Solutions introduces SPOT-MAS Lung, a next-generation blood-based test powered by artificial intelligence (AI) and multi-omics analysis. Designed with lung-specific features, SPOT-MAS Lung may offer a promising approach for earlier detection in Asia—especially among asymptomatic individuals who are often missed by traditional screening, or patients with symptoms but inconclusive imaging results.
Why does Lung Cancer Detection Matters in Asia lung cancer detection?
Asia bears the highest disease burden of lung cancer, accounting for 62% of global lung cancer deaths (1). Alarmingly, nearly 50% of patients in the region are diagnosed at the metastatic stage, when symptoms appear, and curative treatment is often no longer possible (2). When detected early, however, the prognosis improves dramatically — with 5-year survival rates increasing more than fourfold (3). Therefore, early screening plays a critical role in improving patient outcomes.
A Missed Window: Asymptomatic Patients Outside the Guidelines
Although smoking-based screening has been effective for certain populations, complementary approaches could help broaden detection to include other at-risk groups (4). Lung cancer in never-smokers (LCINS) was the fifth leading cause of cancer death globally (5). In Asia, 61.9% to 72.9% of lung cancer cases may be missed under current screening frameworks, with never-smokers disproportionately affected (6, 7). Notably, among women with lung cancer, 84.5% did not meet screening eligibility (6), leaving many asymptomatic individuals undetected until treatment is no longer curative.
Each Asian country defines the high-risk population for lung cancer screening differently. However, in most cases, "high-risk" is commonly understood as individuals with a smoking history exceeding 30 pack-years (8). Only a few countries—such as China—include additional criteria, such as living or working in the same room with smokers for ≥20 years (9). Other potentially high-risk groups remain unaddressed or are not included in official screening recommendations.
Unclear Pathways for Symptomatic Cases
Despite its role in standardizing low-dose CT (LDCT) screening for lung cancer, the Lung-RADS system has notable limitations that can complicate clinical decision-making. One major challenge is the lack of guidance for ambiguous findings—such as lung nodules that become denser without increasing in size. These scenarios are not clearly addressed in current Lung-RADS criteria, leaving clinicians uncertain about the next steps (10). As a result, patients may face either unnecessary follow-up procedures or delays in treatment.
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