Detection of Promoter DNA Methylation in Urine and Plasma Aids the Detection of Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer

Low-dose CT screening can reduce lung cancer-related mortality. However, CT screening has an FDR of nearly 96%. We sought to assess whether urine samples can be a source for DNA methylation-based detection of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). This nested case-control study of subjects with suspicious nodules on CT imaging obtained plasma and urine samples preoperatively. Cases ( = 74) had pathologic confirmation of NSCLC. Controls ( = 27) had a noncancer diagnosis. We detected promoter methylation in plasma and urine samples using methylation on beads and quantitative methylation-specific real-time PCR for cancer-specific genes ( , and ). DNA methylation at cancer-specific loci was detected in both plasma and urine, and was more frequent in patients with cancer compared with controls for all six genes in plasma and in , and in urine. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that methylation detection in each one of six genes in plasma and , and in urine were significantly associated with the diagnosis of NSCLC, independent of age, race, and smoking pack-years. When methylation was detected for three or more genes in both plasma and urine, the sensitivity and specificity for lung cancer diagnosis were 73% and 92%, respectively. DNA methylation-based biomarkers in plasma and urine could be useful as an adjunct to CT screening to guide decision-making regarding further invasive procedures in patients with pulmonary nodules.