# A diagnostic model for malignant pulmonary nodules

> **NIH NIH R21** · UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND BALTIMORE · 2020 · $168,019

## Abstract

The early detection of lung cancer by low-dose computed tomography (LDCT) followed by effective
treatments, including immunotherapy, can reduce the mortality. LDCT is now recommended for lung cancer
screening in smokers. However, more than 25% of smokers screened by LDCT have indeterminate pulmonary
nodules (PNs), of which only 4% are finally diagnosed to be lung cancers, whereas more than 95% are benign
diseases, resulting in over-diagnosis. As a result, large numbers of smokers with indeterminate PNs are referred
for invasive biopsies and expensive 2-year multiple follow-up examinations, which carry their own morbidity
and mortality. Therefore, there is an unmet clinical need for accurately distinguishing malignant PN (lung
cancer) from benign PN in smokers with LDCT-found PNs. However, none of biomarkers and radiological
features of PNs provides sufficient diagnostic values required in the clinics for accurately identifying malignant
PNs. The objective of this proposed project is to develop a test for specifically differentiating malignant from
benign PN. The target population of this test will be smokers with LDCT-found PNs. Its future use in the clinics
will spare smokers with benign PNs from invasive biopsies and expensive multiple follow-up examinations,
while facilitating effective treatments to be instantly initiated for lung cancer. Therefore, the test could
complement LDCT for the early detection lung cancer, and thereby reduce the mortality and cost.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 9970448
- **Project number:** 5R21CA240556-02
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND BALTIMORE
- **Principal Investigator:** Feng Jiang
- **Activity code:** R21 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $168,019
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2019-07-02 → 2021-06-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/9970448

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 9970448, A diagnostic model for malignant pulmonary nodules (5R21CA240556-02). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-23 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/9970448. Licensed CC0.

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