Summary
Dana-Farber’s EQUAL study tests blood screening for EGFR mutations in Asian and Hispanic never-smokers at high lung cancer risk.
Dana-Farber Cancer Institute has launched a groundbreaking study called EQUAL to help find lung cancer early in people who would normally not qualify for screening. The study focuses on Asian and Hispanic/Latinx people who have never smoked tobacco but may still be at high risk for lung cancer.
Currently, lung cancer screening is only available to people over 50 who have smoked heavily for many years. This leaves out many people who develop lung cancer without ever smoking, including younger patients and those from Asian or Hispanic backgrounds. Only 23% of lung cancer cases are caught early when treatment works best.
The EQUAL study uses a simple blood test to look for specific genetic changes called EGFR mutations. These mutations are more common in people of Asian and Hispanic descent and increase the risk of developing lung cancer, especially before age 60. The blood test works similarly to COVID-19 tests, looking for DNA fragments that cells release when they die.
The study will enroll 1,000 people of Asian or Hispanic/Latinx background between ages 50-80 who have never used tobacco. People aged 40-49 can also join if they have family members with EGFR-positive lung cancer or other risk factors.
Participants who test positive for EGFR mutations will receive free CT scans to check for lung cancer. If cancer is found, patient navigators will help connect them to treatment. Those with clear scans will be monitored for a year with a follow-up scan.
To make participation easy, the study partners with a mobile blood draw service that comes to people’s homes. Entire families can get tested together since EGFR mutations can run in families.
If successful, this approach could help catch lung cancer early in high-risk populations who currently fall through the cracks of traditional screening programs.
