The purpose of the research study is to develop a new, more sensitive, and less invasive test for diagnosing lung cancer at an earlier stage, when it can more easily be cured. The investigators hypothesize that certain genes are expressed differently in current and former smokers who have lung cancer, and this difference in gene expression may be a biomarker for lung cancer.

Allegro Diagnostics is funding this multi-center study to validate and extend a new diagnostic tool measuring global gene expression in airway epithelial cells obtained at routine bronchoscopy in suspect lung cancer patients. The test, which is highly sensitive and specific for lung cancer, measures the levels of expression of genes in cells brushed from the large bronchi during diagnostic bronchoscopy. Similar brushings of epithelial cells from the nose will be analyzed to determine if gene expression in these cells can be used as a screening tool in subjects who may have now or be at risk for developing lung cancer in the future.