Metagenomic Next-Generation Sequencing for Concurrent Diagnosis of Infections and Malignancies in Patients with Lung Lesions: a Single-center Prospective Study

Lung lesions can be caused by various factors, including infections and malignancies. Accurate diagnosis is crucial for effective treatment. Traditional diagnostic methods have limitations, such as low positive rate of pathogen culture and inability of imaging to distinguish benign and malignant lesions. Metagenomic Next-Generation Sequencing (mNGS) has emerged as a promising technique. It can directly sequence nucleic acids in clinical samples without pre-assuming pathogens, detecting various pathogens comprehensively and rapidly. mNGS also holds potential in diagnosing malignancies by detecting tumor-related gene mutations and expression abnormalities. This single-center prospective study aims to explore the clinical application value of mNGS in concurrently diagnosing infections and malignancies in patients with lung lesions. The objectives are to evaluate the sensitivity and specificity of mNGS in detecting pathogens compared to traditional methods, and to investigate its efficacy in differentiating benign and malignant lung lesions. The findings may provide a new solution for precise diagnosis of lung lesions.