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Noncoding RNA biomarkers have been identified that differentiate NSCLC in patients who are Black and patients who are White.

Researchers have identified noncoding RNA (ncRNA) biomarker signatures that differentiate non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) in patients who are Black and patients who are White. Investigators published the findings in Cancer Research Communications.

“Given the notably high [lung cancer] incidence and mortality rates among African Americans, there is an urgent need for noninvasive molecular biomarkers tailored to African American demographics,” Feng Jiang, MD, PhD, and colleagues wrote. “These biomarkers can facilitate the early detection of NSCLC.”

Researchers explained that noncoding RNA biomarkers play a crucial role in the development of lung cancer. To identify ncRNA biomarkers associated with racial disparities in NSCLC, researchers systemically analyzed 93 ncRNAs with known NSCLC associations in samples of plasma and sputum from 118 participants with NSCLC and 92 control participants who smoked and were cancer-free.

In participants who were Black, a comparison of patients with NSCLC and controls revealed differential expression of 10 ncRNAs in plasma and four ncRNAs in sputum, according to the study. In participants who were White, a comparison of patients and controls revealed differential expression of 11 ncRNAs in plasma and five ncRNAs.

“Distinct ncRNA alterations associated with each population were identified, leading to the development of specific diagnostic panels for each group,” the researchers explained.

Distinctive ncRNA Profiles Linked to Lung Cancer

The resulting 3-ncRNA panel (comprising plasma microRNAs 147b, 324-3p, 422a) for diagnosing NSCLC in patients who were Black achieved 86% sensitivity and 89% specificity, the study found. A 4-ncRNA panel (comprising sputum microRNA 34a-5p and plasma microRNAs 103-3p, 126-3p, and 205-5p) for diagnosing NSCLC in patients who were White achieved 88% sensitivity and 87% specificity.

“Moreover, we developed an ethnicity-neutral biomarker panel for lung cancer diagnosis. However, this pan-ethnic biomarker panel demonstrated suboptimal diagnostic sensitivity among various ethnic groups compared with population-specific markers,” Dr. Jiang and colleagues wrote.

The Black and White-specific ncRNA panels were validated in an independent cohort of 56 patients and 72 controls.

“The distinctive ncRNA profiles linked to lung cancer in African Americans versus White Americans may hold promise as biomarkers to address the observed racial disparity in lung cancer,” the researchers wrote. “Nonetheless, a large multicenter clinical trial is required to prospectively validate the full utility of biomarkers for early lung cancer detection in different populations.”