Development of a non-invasive kit for the early diagnosis of lung cancer in patients with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), based on telomeric dysfunction biomarkers and miRNAs.

Lung cancer (LC) is the most frequent cause of death among patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Chronic inflammation, resulting from oxidative stress caused by tobacco smoke, is likely one of the relevant pathophysiological mechanisms in the development of LC in COPD patients. This translates into the accumulation of oxidative damage and cellular senescence. Currently, there is no effective, non-invasive diagnostic method for LC in high-risk patients. Objectives 1-4: To determine a biomarker profile (telomere length and molecules (miRNAs, Sirt1, annexin1) in serum) with differential expression in patients with COPD and LC over time (at diagnosis and 3 years prior); and to validate this profile. To correlate the proposed biomarkers with clinical and respiratory function parameters, comorbidities, mortality, and other potential biomarkers of LC risk in COPD patients. Objective 5: Development of procedures for intellectual property protection and/or patent generation, enabling the transfer of basic clinical research results (development of a lung cancer diagnostic kit) to commercialization in our community. Early diagnosis of lung cancer using an easily accessible, non-invasive kit, allowing for the early identification of patients at higher risk, can lead to significant benefits for patients by enabling early monitoring of disease progression, as well as a substantial reduction in associated mortality. Furthermore, it is expected to generate significant cost savings for our healthcare system in the costs associated with this disease.

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ULL Team

• Aída Elizabeth Córdoba Lanús
• Ciro Casanova Macario