BACKGROUND: More publications are describing autoantibodies specific to tumour-associated antigens in a range of solid tumours, including lung cancer. Importantly, these antibodies have even been described as being detectable before the tumour becomes clinically evident, making them interesting targets for use as novel biomarkers in lung cancer. OBJECTIVE: This review provides an overview of the current literature regarding autoantibodies in lung cancer, and addresses the key question of whether the measurement of circulating autoantibodies can be utilised in lung cancer for diagnosis, screening, prognosis and monitoring clinical outcome. METHODS: The literature used in this review was retrieved from PubMed using a combination of the following keywords: antigen array, autoantibodies, diagnosis, low-dose spiral computed tomography, lung cancer, non-small cell lung cancer, panel assay, prognosis, protein microarray, risk factors, SEREX, screening, small cell lung cancer and tumour-associated antigen. RESULTS: Autoantibodies that react with autologous cellular antigens have been described in pre-diagnostic and diagnostic samples from patients with small cell, non-small cell and other forms of lung cancer, and can sometimes be correlated with clinico-pathological parameters. CONCLUSION: The measurement of autoantibodies to a panel of tumour-associated antigens has the potential to provide clinicians with the opportunity to detect early amplification of the carcinogenic signal, thereby providing a sensitive, specific and simple screening tool for the early diagnosis and subsequent early clinical intervention of lung cancer.