Diagnostic and Prognostic Performance of Blood Plasma Glycan Features in the Women Epidemiology Lung Cancer (WELCA) Study

Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer death in women living in the United States, which accounts for approximately the same percentage of cancer deaths in women as breast, ovary, and uterine cancers combined. Targeted blood plasma glycomics represents a promising source of noninvasive diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers for lung cancer. Here, 208 samples from lung cancer patients and 207 age-matched controls enrolled in the Women Epidemiology Lung Cancer (WELCA) study were analyzed by a bottom-up glycan “node” analysis approach. Glycan features, quantified as single analytical signals, including 2-linked mannose, α2–6 sialylation, β1–4 branching, β1–6 branching, 4-linked GlcNAc, and antennary fucosylation, exhibited abilities to distinguish cases from controls (ROC AUCs: 0.68–0.92) and predict survival in patients (hazard ratios: 1.99–2.75) at all stages. Notable alterations of glycan features were observed in stages I–II. Diagnostic and prognostic glycan features were mostly independent of smoking status, age, gender, and histological subtypes of lung cancer.