Lung cancer (LC) remains a leading cause of global cancer mortality, driving the need for novel timely detection strategies, i.e., stages I–II detection when tumor curation is efficient. Circulating microRNA (miRNAs), with their unique stability in biofluids, offer a powerful approach for non-invasive detection. This review compiles validated miRNAs implicated in the early stages of non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC), elucidating their roles in key oncogenic pathways such as epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), PI3K/AKT/mTOR, and JAK-STAT, which regulate proliferation, apoptosis, and metastasis. Furthermore, we critically evaluate developed miRNA panels with a specific focus on advanced quantification and normalization strategies, including exogenous spike-in controls and data-driven methods like pairwise normalization, to enhance diagnostic accuracy. Consequently, we identify and rank the most viable miRNA candidates according to key analytical and clinical metrics, providing a clear roadmap for translating these biomarkers into effective panels for the timely detection of NSCLC.