ArticleFrontiers in molecular biosciences2026
Non-invasive detection of hTERT mRNA in deep-cough swabs for early diagnosis of lung cancer.
Article in Frontiers in molecular biosciences, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.
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Abstract
Introduction: Lung cancer remains the leading cause of cancer-related mortality globally, with current screening methods like low-dose computed tomography (LDCT) limited by radiation risks and false negatives. Non-invasive diagnostic tools are urgently needed. Methods: We developed a deep-cough swab protocol coupled with rapid RNA extraction and direct RT-qPCR to detect human telomerase reverse transcriptase (hTERT) mRNA in airway secretions. The assay was validated using exosomes from lung cancer cell lines and applied to 300 participants (106 early-stage lung cancer patients, 142 benign pulmonary nodule cases, and 52 healthy controls). Results: The assay achieved 90.6% sensitivity (95% CI: 85.1%-96.2%) for stage IA lung cancer and 95.9% specificity (95% CI: 93.1%-98.7%) in non-cancer controls. ROC analysis demonstrated excellent discrimination (AUC = 0.97, p < 0.0001). Sensitivity was consistent across histological subtypes and unaffected by smoking status (p > 0.05). Conclusion: Deep-cough swab detection of hTERT mRNA provides a clinically viable, non-invasive method for auxiliary diagnosis of early-stage lung cancer, potentially complementing CT screening for pulmonary nodule management.
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