Lung Cancer Diagnostics Market Size, Share & Trends Analysis Report By Type (Small Cell Lung Cancer, Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer), By Test (CA Tests, HER2 Tests, ALK Tests), By End Use, Region And Segment Forecasts, 2024 - 2030

Lung Cancer Diagnostics Market Trends

The global lung cancer diagnostics market size was valued at USD 4.68 billion in 2023 and is projected to grow at a CAGR of 6.5% from 2024 to 2030. The market growth is high due to the rise in active smokers, unhealthy lifestyles, and pollution in urban areas. In addition, the demand for advanced diagnostic tools and services in imaging technologies such as PET and CT scans is high. The need for imaging tests, sputum cytology, and biopsy is relatively high in patents with bronchitis or those who have started developing the symptoms of lung cancer. These technologies are extensively used for lung cancer screening in patients.

Worldwide, lung cancer is the second leading and most occurring cancer in men. However, in several countries, lung cancer has become one of the prominent causes of cancer-related deaths. The common symptoms include hemoptysis, cough, or systemic symptoms such as weight loss or anorexia that accelerate the chances of developing chronic conditions for cancer. The WHO estimates around 1.80 million deaths due to lung cancer worldwide annually. Excessive smoking habits are highly prevalent in men and tobacco exposure contains around 7,000 chemicals with more than 50 known cancer-causing chemicals. Therefore, excessive tobacco consumption and smoking are likely to be significant factors for lung screening and diagnostics.

Over the past few years, there has been a prominent rise in patients with chronic lung cancers irrespective of smoking. For instance, patients with small-cell lung cancer (SCLC) may or may not have a smoking history. However, 15 to 20 percent of patients are exposed to secondhand or passive smoking. Besides smoking, other factors such as radon exposure, asbestos, genetics, air pollution, and dietary factors develop chronic conditions in patients. Genetics and asbestos account for a high probability of developing cancerous conditions in patients.

Type Insights

The non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) segment dominated with a substantial revenue share in 2023. NSCLC is further trifurcated into squamous cell carcinoma, adenocarcinoma, and large cell carcinoma of the lung. The diagnosis method to treat NSCLC is the same but the end treatment differs in several cases depending on the nature of cancer in patients. NSCLC is suspected if a patient has persistent cough or chest infection, hoarseness, breathlessness, coughing blood, or chest pain. Also, NSCLC is the most common type of lung cancer occurring in patients who have a long smoking history. The need for imaging, targeted drug therapy, chemotherapy, and immunotherapy drives the treatment options for the patients in the NSCLC segment.

The small-cell lung cancer (SCLC) is expected to witness a CAGR of 4.8% in the forecast period. In the U.S. alone more than 50 people in 100,000 develop lung cancer annually. Small-cell lung cancer represents around 20% of those cancers. The condition is uncommon as compared with non-small cell lung cancers. SCLC is further bifurcated into small-cell carcinoma and combined small-cell carcinoma. Patients who possess genetic conditions and have a shared history of lung cancer in the family are susceptible to developing SCLC conditions. Technological developments such as imaging, biopsy, and bronchoscopy have emerged as diagnostic solutions catering to patient needs. Therefore, their significance to the healthcare industry accelerates the demand for lung cancer diagnostics.

Test Insights

EGFR mutation tests dominated the market with a 29.2% market share for 2023. Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor (EGFR) is one of the most prevalent actionable mutations in patients with NSCLC. Moreover, unregulated EGFR rapidly proliferates the tumor cells in patients, which is a key driver for lung cancer in patients irrespective of their stage. Therefore, the growing need for biomarker testing supports the clinical assessment and treatment decisions for EGFR. On the other hand, biopsy surgeries are a viable solution to detect and diagnose EGFR conditions. Liquid biopsy has become an indispensable tool in metastatic settings. However, the validation studies are yet to conclude its overall viability for wide adoption.

The HER2 test segment is expected to witness the fastest CAGR over the forecast period. HER2 tests include next-generation sequencing (NGS) which involves placing damaged tissue from the patient’s tumor within a machine that looks for several biomarkers at one time. Other treatment options such as pills that inhibit HER2 from spreading in the body. However, pills are clinical trials for these therapies and presently, chemotherapy and immunotherapy are the first-line treatment for patients with chronic conditions.

End Use Insights

The hospitals and clinics segment dominated the market in 2023. This is attributed to the facilities with superior diagnostic tools and imaging technologies accounting for accurate lung cancer detection and staging. They also have multidisciplinary groups of oncologists, radiologists, and pathologists to accomplish treatment goals. Hospitals and clinics are the primary facilities for administering complex treatments such as chemotherapy, radiation therapy, and surgical interventions.

The diagnostic laboratories segment is expected to witness the fastest CAGR of 7.9% over the forecast period. These laboratories account for a significant aspect of diagnostics. Laboratory tests track the tumor size, monitor patient response, and customize the treatment plan according to the patient profile. The tests comprise MRI & CT scans, ultrasound, X-rays, and PET scans referred to as nuclear tests in the clinical domain. Therefore, the growing contribution of these laboratories in diagnosing and treating cancer is projected to accelerate their demand in the forthcoming years.

Regional Insights

North America dominated the global lung cancer diagnostics market in 2023 due to its advanced healthcare infrastructure, high healthcare spending, and strong reimbursement regulations for cancer diagnostics. The healthcare industry in North America has witnessed a rise in patient pool, attributed to unhealthy lifestyles, poor diet habits, and growing cases of stage-IV lung cancer in patients. On the other hand, the regional industry is well equipped with state-of-the-art research laboratories, availability of quality treatment, qualified medical workforce, and high spending on lung cancer screening.

Europe Lung Cancer Diagnostics Market Trends

Europe accounted for a substantial revenue share in 2023. European countries are gradually adopting low-dose computed tomography (LD-CT) that detects early-stage cancer and reduces the chances of mortality in cancer patients. As lung cancer is identified to be a major cause of death across European countries, an effective prognosis is expected to serve the need for customized treatment strategies. In addition, molecular diagnostic checks that pinpoint particular genetic mutations in patients are expected to become popular in the forthcoming years.

Asia Pacific Lung Cancer Diagnostics Market Trends

Asia Pacific lung cancer diagnostics market is anticipated to witness significant growth in the forthcoming years due to the adoption of advanced diagnostics technologies, and the rising incidences of lung cancer in the region. The healthcare industry is expected to expand in the coming years due to the aging population demanding lung cancer screening. Furthermore, the industry is poised to witness growth due to the rise in the middle-income groups and awareness programs conducted by the government for early detection of lung cancer.

Key Lung Cancer Diagnostics Company Insights

Some key players in the market are F. Hoffman-La Roche Ltd, Thermo Fisher Scientific, and others. The market is consolidated in nature. 

• F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd, offers a comprehensive portfolio of diagnostics solutions for lung cancer, including molecular testing, immunohistochemistry, and liquid biopsy technologies. The company’s key product for lung cancer diagnosis is cobas EGFR Mutation Test v2, which helps to detect epidermal growth factor receptor gene mutations in non-small lung cancer patients.

• Thermo Fisher Scientific, a biotechnology company, operates in four main segments, life sciences solutions, analytical instruments, specialty diagnostics, and laboratory products and services. It is known for genetic analysis, mass spectrometry, electron microscopy, and cell culture technologies. The company’s offerings include immunohistochemistry (IHC) antibodies and kits for lung cancer biomarker detection, and real-time PCR systems for molecular testing.

Recent Developments

• In March 2023, Roche announced approval from the U.S. FDA for VENTANA PD-L1 (SP263) Assay. SP263 helps in advising immunotherapy non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients.

• In March 2023, Agilent Technologies Inc. acquired Resolution Bioscience Inc. to expand the NGS-based cancer treatment capabilities. This acquisition further strengthens Agilent's position in the cancer diagnostics market.

• In January 2023, Agilent Technologies Inc. collaborated with Quest Diagnostics to enhance the accessibility of the Resolution ctDx FIRST test. The test helps to identify advanced NSCLC (non-small cell lung cancer) patients.

Lung Cancer Diagnostics Market Report Scope

Global Lung Cancer Diagnostics Market Report Segmentation

This report forecasts revenue growth at global, regional, and country levels and provides an analysis of the latest industry trends in each of the sub-segments from 2018 to 2030. For this study, Grand View Research has segmented the global lung cancer diagnostics market report based on type, test, end use, and region:

• Type Outlook (Revenue, USD Billion, 2018 - 2030)

  • Non-small cell lung cancer

  • Small cell lung cancer  

• Test Outlook (Revenue, USD Billion, 2018 - 2030)

  • CA test

  • HER2 test

  • ALK test

  • Angiogenesis Inhibitors

  • EGFR Mutation test

  • KRAS Mutation test

• End Use Outlook (Revenue, USD Billion, 2018 - 2030)

  • Hospitals and clinics

  • Diagnostic Laboratories

  • Others

• Regional Outlook (Revenue, USD Billion, 2018 - 2030)

  • North America

    • U.S.

    • Canada

    • Mexico

  • Europe

    • Germany

    • UK

    • France

    • Italy

    • Spain

    • Denmark

    • Sweden

    • Norway

  • Asia Pacific

    • China

    • Japan

    • India

    • South Korea

    • Australia

    • Thailand

  • Latin America

    • Brazil

    • Argentina

  • Middle East and Africa (MEA)

    • Saudi Arabia

    • UAE

    • Kuwait

    • South Africa