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Cancer

Circulating Hsp70 Identified as Potential Biomarker for Thoracic Cancer

Strategic Insights

— 1 min read

Research from Technical University Munich has identified heat shock protein 70 (Hsp70) as a potential biomarker for thoracic cancer, particularly for lymph node metastases and early relapse. According to the study published in BMC Cancer, Hsp70 is overexpressed in many cancer types and is present on the plasma membrane of tumor cells, but not normal cells. The intensity of membrane-expressed Hsp70 (mHsp70) is associated with disease progression and treatment resistance. The study found that circulating extracellular Hsp70 (eHsp70) levels were significantly higher in patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) than in healthy individuals, with no differences between adenocarcinomas and squamous cell carcinomas.

Key Takeaways:

  • Hsp70 is overexpressed in many cancer types, including thoracic cancer, and is present on the plasma membrane of tumor cells.
  • Membrane-expressed Hsp70 (mHsp70) intensity is associated with disease progression and treatment resistance.
  • Circulating extracellular Hsp70 (eHsp70) levels were significantly higher in patients with NSCLC than in healthy individuals.
  • eHsp70 levels were associated with the Programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-L1) status and gradually increased from early stage to metastatic disease.
  • Patients with lymph node metastases in surgically treatable NSCLC had significantly higher eHsp70 levels than nodal negative patients.
  • Total lymphocyte counts were significantly reduced and immunoregulatory T (Treg) cell counts were increased in tumor stages compared to healthy controls.
  • Lower CD4 + T helper cell and higher CD3-/CD56+/CD94+/CD69+/NKp30+/NKp46 + NK cell ratios were found in patients with thoracic metastases of other primary tumors.

Statistics:

  • 178 patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) were included in the study.
  • 35 patients with lung metastases of extrathoracic tumors were also included in the study.
  • Circulating eHsp70 levels were significantly higher in NSCLC patients (p < 0.001) than in healthy individuals.
  • Total lymphocyte counts were significantly reduced in tumor stages (p < 0.05) compared to healthy controls.
  • Immunoregulatory T (Treg) cell counts were increased in tumor stages (p < 0.05) compared to healthy controls.

Sources:

  • Circulating Hsp70: a tumor biomarker for lymph node metastases and early relapse in thoracic cancer. BMC Cancer, 2025;25(1):1297.
  • NewsRx. Study Data from Technical University Munich Update Understanding of Cancer (Circulating Hsp70: a tumor biomarker for lymph node metastases and early relapse in thoracic cancer). Hematology Week. August 25, 2025; p 2407.

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