Researchers hope to detect genes that could warn of capacity for the cancer

Scientists and researchers in Chile are working to develop technology that could help diagnose lung cancer at an earlier stage. The new technology will seek to identify genes that indicate a predisposition to certain cancers.

Lung cancer is the second deadliest cancer in Chile. Only 16-17 percent of people diagnosed with lung cancer in Chile live longer than five years. Every year 500 people die from the illness and almost 1,900 more are diagnosed.

The research is being conducted in a joint effort between the British Columbia Cancer Agency (BCCA) based in Canada, the Center of Technology for Cancer (CeTeCancer) and the Institute of Biomedical Sciences, which is part of the Universidad de Chile.