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Biomarker testing Reveal the full picture of your lung cancer diagnosis

For support in talking with your doctor about biomarkers, download the patient discussion guide

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Biomarkers: small clues with a big impact

  • Every patient is unique, and every case of lung cancer is unique
  • Your doctor can learn more about your cancer by identifying clues inside your cancer cells, called biomarkers
  • A biomarker can be a protein, gene or other substance in the blood or tumour tissue that can help guide treatment decisions

What can my biomarker tell me about my cancer? 

What makes your tumour cells different from other lung cancers
What is causing your tumour cells to grow 
How your tumour may respond to different treatments

Some therapies target certain biomarkers. Testing for your cancer’s biomarker profile at diagnosis helps your healthcare team decide which treatment plan may work best for your unique lung cancer.

There are many different ways your doctor can test for biomarkers. What matters most is making sure a full panel of important biomarkers is checked–like HER2, EGFR, ALK and PD-L1–so your care team has the information needed to determine which targeted therapy may work best for you.

No two lung cancers are the same. 

Knowing your biomarker profile reveals what makes yours unique. 

Identifying your biomarker profile

To learn about your biomarker profile, a sample of your tumour is collected and examined under a microscope. Your sample can be retrieved using a tissue or liquid biopsy. 

You may feel nervous about your biopsy, but it is one of the most important steps in finding the best treatment option for you. Your healthcare team is there to answer any questions you may have about the procedure and to ensure you are safe and comfortable every step of the way.

A tissue biopsy involves collecting a small sample of your tumour which can be done in different ways. The sample can be retrieved from the primary site of the lungs or from a metastatic site if the cancer has spread to an organ outside of the lungs. Your doctor will decide which is best for the location of your tumour.

  • Bronchoscopy: a thin, flexible tube is inserted through the mouth or nose into the lungs to collect a sample

  • Endobronchial ultrasound-guided transbronchial needle aspiration (EBUS-TBNA): a thin, flexible tube is inserted through the mouth into the airways where a needle will collect a sample from the lymph nodes

  • Transthoracic needle biopsy: a thin needle is inserted through the chest wall into the lung to collect a sample 
A liquid biopsy analyzes DNA that is released by cancer cells into the bloodstream. It can be completed using a sample of blood or sputum (saliva mixed with mucus) and is only completed if a tissue sample cannot be collected. 

What your biomarker means for your diagnosis

Your biomarker testing may include all or some of the following biomarkers: 

HER2 (ERBB2)

MET

BRAF

KRAS

ROS1

EGFR 

NTRK 

ALK

RET

PD-L1

These biomarkers are often found in healthy cells and act as a light switch to help regulate cell growth and division. Normally, cells cycle between “on” and “off”, growing when needed and resting when not. In cancer, changes to the tumour’s DNA can cause these biomarkers to get stuck in the “on” position, breaking the cycle and making your cells grow too quickly. 

Diagram of the cell cycle in healthy cells. Biomarkers act like a light switch to turn “on” cell growth and then turn it “off” for a period of cell rest. Diagram of the cell cycle in cancer cells. Changes to a tumours DNA can cause the biomarkers to get stuck in the “on” position, leading to interrupted rest and uncontrolled cell growth.

Your biopsy results can show which biomarker is driving cell growth in your tumour. From here, your doctor can identify available treatment options that target your biomarker.

Knowing your biomarker profile helps your healthcare team develop a personalized treatment plan for you. Diagram of pathway to personalized therapy: Patient; tissue and/or liquid biopsy; analysis of sample; biomarker identification; personalized therapy.

Biomarkers & me: a patient’s journey to personalized cancer care

Listen to Bev–a real patient diagnosed with lung cancer–share her experience with biomarker testing and the role it played in shaping her cancer care plan. 

Watch now

The next best step

Following your diagnosis, start the conversation about biomarker testing right away. Prepare for your appointment with our patient discussion guide – designed to help you ask the right questions about your biomarker testing journey

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HER2=human epidermal growth factor receptor 2; EGFR=epidermal growth factor receptor; ALK=anaplastic lymphoma kinase; PD-L1=programmed death-ligand 1; ERBB2=erb-B2 receptor tyrosine kinase 2; MET=mesenchymal epithelial transition factor receptor; BRAF=v-raf murine sarcoma viral oncogene homolog B; KRAS=Kirsten rat sarcoma viral oncogene homolog; ROS1=c-ros proto-oncogene 1; NTRK=neurotrophic tyrosine receptor kinase; RET=rearranged during transfection.

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