The Problem

Every year, millions of people die from cancer, not because we can’t treat it, but because it’s found too late.

Lung cancer, in particular, often stays hidden until it’s too advanced to cure.

Early detection could save lives, but for most people, it’s simply out of reach.

Expensive Diagnostic Costs

The average cost for a lung cancer diagnosis is $3,558. Many patients undergo these expensive tests only to be told they don't have lung cancer. (3)

In fact, 43.6% of patients diagnosed turn out to be healthy, leading to unnecessary financial burden.

(3) Lokhandwala, T., Bittoni, M. A., Dann, R. A., D’Souza, A. O., Johnson, M., Nagy, R. J., Lanman, R. B., Merritt, R. E., & Carbone, D. P. (2017). Costs of Diagnostic Assessment for Lung Cancer: A Medicare Claims Analysis. Clinical Lung Cancer, 18(1), e27–e34. Https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cllc.2016.07.006

Limited Treatment and Prevention Options

Due to late-stage diagnoses, lung cancer treatment is often ineffective.

In many cases, prevention is not possible, and the limited treatment options make it difficult for patients to combat the disease.

Facts and Statistics

According to WHO, lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide, with approximately 1.8 million deaths recorded in 2020. (4)

NSCLC, accounting for 80-85% of lung cancer, is responsible for around 1.5 million of those deaths.

Figure 1: NSCLC 5-year survival rates

(4) World Health Organization. (n.d.). Lung cancer [Fact sheet]. https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/lung-cancer

Why This Problem Hasn’t Been Solved

• Current tests are expensive, complex, and lab-dependent.
• Techniques like qPCR and sequencing need trained personnel, advanced machines, and controlled environments, making them inaccessible in many regions.
• Detecting DNA mutations in a simple, portable format is technically hard.
• High specificity is required to distinguish single-nucleotide mutations like those in EGFR.
• Regulatory and economic barriers slow innovation. Low-cost tests are often unprofitable.

Why Cancer Is Hard to Detect Early

Early-stage cancers often cause no symptoms and involve too few abnormal cells to be detected by standard scans. (5)

In lung cancer, signs usually appear only after the disease has spread.

At the molecular level, early cancers involve tiny DNA changes, like point mutations in genes such as EGFR.

Detecting these requires sensitive equipment, trained staff, and lab settings — making early diagnosis expensive and inaccessible in many parts of the world.

(5) Ortiz, A. F. H., Camacho, T. C., Vásquez, A. F., Del Castillo Herazo, V., Neira, J. G. A., Yepes, M. M., & Camacho, E. C. (2022). Clinical and CT patterns to predict EGFR mutation in patients with non-small cell lung cancer: A systematic literature review and meta-analysis. European journal of radiology open, 9, 100400. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ejro.2022.100400

The Solution

We developed a simple detection system using RPA, a fast and low-temperature DNA amplification method, combined with CRISPR-Cas9, which can recognize and cut only the wildtype version of the EGFR gene.

We then used a lateral flow assay to show whether the DNA was cut or not, revealing if a mutation is present.

What We Found

• RPA successfully amplifies the EGFR region without lab equipment.
• Cas9 cuts only the wildtype sequence, not the mutant version.
• On a test strip, this difference produces a clear visual result — a line appears only when the mutation is present.

What This Means

This system could form the basis of an affordable, non-invasive, and portable diagnostic kit to detect early-stage lung cancer in places where traditional testing is unavailable or unaffordable.

Our Design

To solve this problem, we are planning to make a rapid test, or lateral flow assay (LFA). This is designed to be cheap and fast, allowing for easy screening and minimal invasiveness.

Similarly to the COVID-19 test, this will analyze a liquid sample — in this case, the patient’s blood — to detect the target mutation.

Other Information

Aptagenix primarily addresses the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 3: Good Health and Well-Being, which seeks to ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages. By enabling early detection of cancer through a simple, low-cost, and low-equipment diagnostic method, our project supports this goal by improving access to quick healthcare, potentially increasing survival rates worldwide.

Our innovation also aligns with SDG 9: Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure by advancing affordable diagnostic tools, and SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities, as it aims to make advanced diagnostics accessible in low-resource settings.

Scientists working in molecular diagnostics, oncology, biotechnology, and public health can benefit from and contribute. Researchers developing point-of-care devices, molecular amplification methods, or biosensor technologies can collaborate with us to adapt the detection system to new biomarkers or expand its use to other diseases.

Our ultimate goal is to streamline cancer detection—making it faster, cheaper, and more accessible. We envision a future where early diagnosis is available to everyone, regardless of location or socioeconomic status, leading to better treatment outcomes, reduced healthcare burdens, and a more equitable global health landscape.