Identifying Metabolic Hallmarks of Cancer Initiation in Lung Tumor-Adjacent Normal Tissue
Abstract
An important challenge in lung cancer is that the disease is typically identified at a very late stage, primarily due to a lack of biomarkers that enable early detection. Therefore, there is a critical need to identify biomarkers of early lung cancer development so that high-risk populations can be screened for these markers and treated effectively to reverse such changes. The objective of this proposal is to use high-resolution microscopy to determine the metabolic profile of human lung cancer specimens and compare these profiles to adjacent normal tissue. While the adjacent normal tissue may appear “normal,” it is possible for these tissues to harbor underlying molecular changes that indicate a possible progression to cancer. We envision that these studies will lead to future large-scale investigations where optical imaging of cells obtained from airway brushings can be used to quickly screen for lung cancer. Additionally, we envision the incorporation of optical metabolic imaging with diagnostic bronchoscopy in smokers with suspected injury to the upper airways. The incidence of lung cancer in Veterans is nearly twice as high as that in civilians and has been attributed to the conditions that they are exposed to, in addition to cigarette smoke. Thus, the results of this proposal are highly relevant to the healthcare of Veterans.
Document Details
- Document Type
- DoD Grant Award
- Publication Date
- Nov 19, 2019
- Source ID
- W81XWH1910762
Entities
People
- Narasimhan Rajaram
Organizations
- United States Army
- University of Arkansas