Hematological Biomarkers for Early Detection of Lung Cancer: Evaluating the Diagnostic Potential of Circulating Interleukin Levels

Early detection of lung cancer remains a major unmet clinical need, as most patients are diagnosed at advanced stages when curative treatment options are limited. Circulating cytokines and interleukins represent promising molecular biomarkers for the non-invasive diagnosis and monitoring of tumor development. In this study, we investigated the diagnostic potential of plasma interleukins in distinguishing early-stage non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) from healthy individuals and patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Quantitative analyses demonstrated significantly elevated plasma levels of IL-1RA, IL-6, IL-8, IL-10, and IL-17A in NSCLC patients compared with healthy controls. Among these, a composite biomarker panel comprising IL-6, IL-10, IL-8, and IL-1RA exhibited the highest diagnostic performance, outperforming individual cytokines and other combinations. This interleukin-based signature also differentiated NSCLC from COPD with strong specificity, underscoring its potential clinical applicability. These findings highlight the molecular and translational relevance of plasma interleukin profiling as a non-invasive diagnostic approach for early lung cancer detection, potentially enabling earlier intervention and improved patient outcomes.