Lung Cancer Weekly News

Dietary Glycemic Index, Glycemic Load, and Risk of Lung Cancer: A Population-Based Cohort Study
“CONCLUSIONS These findings show that high dietary GI is associated with an increased risk of lung cancer, NSCLC, and SCLC, whereas GL is inversely associated with the risk of lung cancer and NSCLC.”

Missing cancer gene may boost response to immunotherapy
“For some patients with the most common type of lung cancer, known as lung adenocarcinoma, there’s new hope. In a new study published in Cell Reports, Mayo Clinic researchers have found several previously unknown genetic and cellular processes that occur in lung adenocarcinoma tumors that respond well to immunotherapy.”

Understanding Minimally Invasive Lung Cancer Care Advancements
“Dr. Daniel J. Boffa, professor and division chief of Thoracic Surgery at Yale School of Medicine in New Haven, Connecticut, sat down with CURE to discuss the evolving landscape of lung cancer treatment. In the interview, he highlights major advancements that are transforming patient care, including the role of minimally invasive surgical techniques that preserve lung function and new systemic therapies such as immunotherapy and targeted therapy. These innovations are enabling more precise treatments and personalized approaches to improve outcomes while minimizing side effects for patients with lung cancer.”

FDA grants traditional approval to tarlatamab-dlle for extensive stage small cell lung cancer
“On November 19, 2025, the Food and Drug Administration granted traditional approval to tarlatamab-dlle (Imdelltra, Amgen Inc.) for adults with extensive stage small cell lung cancer (ES-SCLC) with disease progression on or after platinum-based chemotherapy. Tarlatamab-dlle received accelerated approval for this indication in 2024.”

FDA grants accelerated approval to sevabertinib for non-squamous non-small cell lung cancer
“On November 19, 2025, the Food and Drug Administration granted accelerated approval to sevabertinib (Hyrnuo, Bayer HealthCare Pharmaceuticals Inc.), a kinase inhibitor, for adults with locally advanced or metastatic, non-squamous non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) whose tumors have HER2 (ERBB2) tyrosine kinase domain (TKD) activating mutations, as detected by an FDA-approved test, and who have received a prior systemic therapy.

FDA also approved the Oncomine Dx Target Test (Life Technologies Corporation) as a companion diagnostic device to aid in detecting HER2 (ERBB2) TKD activating mutations in patients with non-squamous NSCLC who may be eligible for treatment with sevabertinib.”

Age-Based Screening for Lung Cancer Surveillance in the US
“Meaning  These findings suggest that current screening guidelines miss most patients with lung cancer, and age-based screening could improve detection and cost-effectiveness while reducing disparities.”

Data from Genprex’s Acclaim-1 Phase 1 Gene Therapy Clinical Trial Published in Clinical Lung Cancer
“AUSTIN, Texas, Nov. 24, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Genprex, Inc. (“Genprex” or the “Company”) (NASDAQ: GNPX), a clinical-stage gene therapy company focused on developing life-changing therapies for patients with cancer and diabetes, today announced the publication of data from its Acclaim-1 Phase 1 clinical trial of Reqorsa® Gene Therapy (quaratusugene ozeplasmid) in combination with Tagrisso® (osimertinib) in patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) in the peer-reviewed journal Clinical Lung Cancer.”

Breath-based lung cancer detection using an ML-driven low-cost sensor array
“Our system outperforms existing e-nose detection methods by more than 5% and is capable of classifying in approximately 5 minutes. These findings highlight the potential of this breath analyzer system as a rapid and cost-effective tool for preliminary lung cancer screening.”

The Incidence, Severity and Risk Factors of Renal Injury in Lung Cancer Patients Receiving Osimertinib Therapy: A Real-World Study
“Conclusions: This study demonstrates that renal injury is not rare in lung cancer patients treated with osimertinib, particularly in patients aged ≥ 60 years or with pre-existing renal injury. Although most cases are reversible, regular monitoring of renal function is strongly recommended for these patients.”

Visugromab Plus Nivolumab Shows Durable Response in Refractory Tumors
“Key Takeaways: Visugromab combined with nivolumab showed a median duration of response exceeding two years in refractory NSCLC, UC, and HCC patients. GDF-15 is a therapeutic target and immune escape mechanism, contributing to checkpoint inhibitor resistance and cancer cachexia.”

Blood-Based Screening Test May Increase Preclinical Lung Cancer Detection
“Results from the National Lung Screening Trial (NLST; NCT00047385) revealed that the Mercy Halo blood-based lung screening test displayed a significant improvement in the detection of early-stage preclinical lung cancer, especially among patients at an elevated risk who were not currently engaged in low-dose CT screening programs, according to a news release from the developer, Mercy BioAnalytics.”

Adherence to Posttreatment Surveillance Guidelines in Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer: Retrospective Cohort Study
“Conclusions: In this unique application of a competing risks framework, the rate of guideline-concordant surveillance in this national cohort was lower than that reported in many previous studies. This finding highlights a potentially substantial gap in surveillance among eligible, asymptomatic lung cancer survivors. More strategies are needed to measure the true rate of guideline-concordant surveillance, along with education and advocacy to ensure guideline-concordant care.”

What the Data Show: Lung Cancer Down, Youth Vaping Down, Inequities Up
“While there has been some advancement in tobacco prevention and control efforts, tobacco-related disparities persist. These disparities do not reflect individual choices. They reflect long-standing inequities in access to quality health care, early detection, and treatment. Communities of color, particularly Black residents, have faced decades of underinvestment, limited access to preventive services, higher exposure to predatory tobacco marketing, and environmental stressors that increase their risk of morbidity and mortality. These inequities require a comprehensive approach that includes equitable access to lung cancer screening and treatment, access to evidence-based tobacco cessation resources, and tobacco prevention education for those at higher risk.”

Researchers engineer a novel technique for guiding endoscopes to deep lung tumors
“Researchers at The University of Osaka have engineered a novel technique, Balloon-Assisted Bronchoscope Delivery (BDBD), to guide endoscopes to small, early-stage lung cancers hidden deep within the periphery of the lungs. By using a small balloon to gently widen the airways, this innovative method overcomes the physical limitations of conventional bronchoscopy, promising to revolutionize both the accuracy of early diagnosis and the potential for minimally invasive treatment.”

A mild symptom was bothering a young dad. He had Stage IV lung cancer.
“Endurance athlete Kevin Humphrey was used to discomfort. He regularly participated in ultramarathons and other intense events. Swimming, biking and running dozens of miles at a time was standard for him. His two young sons also kept him active even when he wasn’t training. But in January 2024, a persistent back pain kept bothering him.”

Atezolizumab/Vaccine Combo May Show Long-Term Survival in ES-SCLC
“Combining dendritic cell (DC) vaccination with atezolizumab (Tecentriq) produced long-term survival in a small cohort of patients with extensive-stage small cell lung cancer (ES-SCLC), according to findings from a phase 1b/2 trial (NCT04487756) presented in a poster session at the Society for Immunotherapy of Cancer 2025 Annual Meeting.”

The role of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease mediated by immune cells on lung adenocarcinoma: A two-step, two-sample Mendelian randomization study
“Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) commonly co-occurs with lung cancer, particularly lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD), suggesting a potential shared molecular mechanism and risk factors between the 2 conditions. This study aimed to explore the causal relationship between COPD and LUAD mediated by immune cells using a 2-step, 2-sample Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis.”

Organ-based tumor distribution for predicting prognosis in small-cell lung cancer using fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography/computed tomography
“To validate and compare conventional metabolic tumor burden measurements with comprehensive metabolic tumor distribution patterns using [18F] fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography/computed tomography (FDG PET/CT) to predict small-cell lung cancer (SCLC) prognosis.”

Aging represses oncogenic KRAS-driven lung tumorigenesis and alters tumor suppression
“Most cancers are diagnosed in people over 60 years of age, but little is known about how age impacts tumorigenesis. While aging is accompanied by mutation accumulation (widely understood to contribute to cancer risk) it is associated with numerous other cellular and molecular changes likely to impact tumorigenesis. Moreover, cancer incidence decreases in the oldest part of the population, suggesting that very old age may reduce carcinogenesis.”

The lung cancer-associated blood biomarker hPG80 exhibits a reversible increase in response to smoking in asymptomatic individuals
“The blood biomarker hPG80 is linked to multiple solid tumors, including lung cancer. This study examined blood hPG80 levels of asymptomatic individuals and patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), categorized by their smoking and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) status.”

Navigating the landscape of EGFR TKI resistance in EGFR-mutant NSCLC — mechanisms and evolving treatment approaches
“Resistance to EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) remains a major obstacle in the clinical management of EGFR-mutant non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Despite the transformative therapeutic activity of the multiple iterations of EGFR TKIs, spanning from first-generation reversible inhibitors such as erlotinib and gefitinib to the current standard-of-care third-generation covalent inhibitor osimertinib, primary or acquired resistance to these agents inevitably emerges via diverse mechanisms.”

Arkansas’s Lung Cancer Rate Among Highest in U.S., 2025 Report Finds
“The 2025 “State of Lung Cancer” report finds that Arkansas’s rate of new lung cancer cases is 68.2 cases per 100,000 people. Arkansas is ranked 47th among the 50 states and the District of Columbia for this measure; in this and all other measures, the No. 1 state has the best rate and the No. 51 state has the worst. Arkansas’s rate of new cases is significantly higher than the national rate of 52.8 cases per 100,000 people.”

‘An Incredible Response’: A Clinical Trial at the CU Cancer Center Successfully Treated Jennifer Brown’s Stage IV Lung Cancer
“Tejas Patil, MD, enrolled Brown in the trial of the drug that shrank her liver metastases by 50% within weeks.”

The world’s first trial of a vaccine to prevent lung cancer
“In a world-first clinical trial, our scientists will begin testing an experimental vaccine designed to prevent lung cancer in people at high risk of the disease.”

Targeting Inflammation Could Halt Lung Cancer Before It Starts
“By creating high-resolution cellular and molecular visual maps of lung cancer before and during development, researchers at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center have discovered that the earliest stages of lung cancer may be driven by inflammation, suggesting that targeting proinflammatory pathways could be an early intervention approach.”

Boehringer awarded FDA Commissioner’s National Priority Voucher for zongertinib in patients with HER2-mutant NSCLC
“Boehringer Ingelheim today confirmed that the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) has awarded a Commissioner’s National Priority Voucher (CNPV) to zongertinib for the treatment of patients with HER2 (ERBB2)-mutant non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).  This recognition underscores the potential of zongertinib to meet critical patient needs for this rare and aggressive cancer.”

Synthekine reports initial STK-012 data in lung cancer trial
“The therapy, when combined with SoC PCT, exhibited encouraging efficacy and safety outcomes.”

Eosinophilia Linked With Immune-Related Adverse Events in NSCLC Treatment
“Key Takeaways: Pretreatment eosinophilia in NSCLC patients is associated with increased immune-related adverse events and reduced progression-free survival when treated with ICIs. The review included 11 retrospective cohort studies with 14,095 individuals, highlighting eosinophilia as a potential prognostic biomarker.”

LUNGevity Foundation Launches 2025 Lung Cancer Awareness Month with 60,000 White Flags on the National Mall in Washington DC
“WASHINGTON, Nov. 3, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — This November, during Lung Cancer Awareness Month (LCAM), LUNGevity Foundation will lead a nationwide effort to spotlight the urgent need for early detection and disease management, research funding, and equitable access to care for people impacted by lung cancer. On Saturday, November 1, LUNGevity, along with passionate volunteers, planted 60,000 white flags across the National Mall in Washington, D.C., representing the 120,000 Americans who die from lung cancer each year. The installation serves as both a solemn memorial and a powerful call to action, underscoring the devastating human cost of low screening rates, underfunded research, and lack of access to care.”

American Cancer Society Releases Pioneering U.S. Tobacco Atlas: Cigarette Smoking Declining, but Lung Cancer Screening Subpar
“Newswise — ATLANTA, November 3, 2025 — The American Cancer Society (ACS) today announced the inaugural release of The U.S. Tobacco Atlas, a fact-based, digital scientific resource offering comprehensive data and insights on tobacco use, control policies, and their impact nationwide.”

Frozen section pathology enhances intraoperative decision-making in early-stage lung cancer surgery
“Surgery is the standard of care for curative treatment of early-stage lung cancer. The increasing detection of stage 1 disease through screening programs means more patients are eligible for less extensive procedures, such as wedge resection or segmentectomy, rather than traditional lobectomy. Ensuring complete tumor removal along with accurate lymph node staging is critical for curative intent and long-term outcomes.”

Why Lung Cancer Screening Remains Underused, And How The USPSTF Meeting Cancellation Could Make It Worse
“Lung cancer screening remains strikingly underused, with reported screening rates as low as 16% according to the American Lung Association. This means less than 1 in 5 individuals who are eligible to get a low-dose CT scan, the screening test for lung cancer, are actually getting the test. This statistic is worrisome since lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer death among both men and women.”

October 2025: A Look at FDA Oncology Approvals and Designations
“Key Takeaways: October 2025 saw key FDA approvals and designations, expanding treatment options for solid tumors and hematologic malignancies. New combination therapies and adjuvant treatments were approved for small cell lung cancer and cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma.”

White Ribbon Project holds annual Fall Fest to inform about the dangers of lung cancer
“EVANS, Ga. (WFXG) – On Saturday, representatives from the Georgia Cancer Center, the Medical College of Georgia’s Oncology Interest Group, and The White Ribbon Project joined other health officials at the Evans Walmart for the fourth annual White Ribbon Fall Fest.”

Even with Stage IV Lung Cancer, Longtime Flight Attendant Is Still Traveling the World
“After being diagnosed with stage IV lung cancer, longtime flight attendant Glenda Moore is more determined than ever to live life to the fullest and advocate for lung cancer screening awareness.”

How a broken limb led to a non-smoker’s lung cancer diagnosis a decade later
“Leslie Stoll developed a blood clot that led to a pulmonary embolism after she broke her leg in 2014. The embolism was treated, but another occurred when Stoll had surgery on her foot years later.”

Studies identify complementary approaches to overcome drug resistance in KRAS G12C–mutant lung cancer
“Key findings: Tumors treated with KRAS G12C inhibitors often reactivate RAS signaling through multiple resistance mechanisms. RAS(ON) inhibitors including RMC-7977 can block both mutant and wildtype RAS, shutting down these escape routes. Resistance is also accompanied by increased sensitivity to CDK12/13 inhibitors, which disrupt DNA repair and induce mitotic arrest. KRAS and CDK12/13 inhibitor co-treatment delayed resistance and could overcome RAS-independent, EMT-driven resistance mechanism. These studies offer a preclinical roadmap for new clinical trials aimed at extending the durability of KRAS-targeted therapy.”

Global burden of lung cancer attributable to occupational asbestos exposure: 1990 to 2021
“We found, for the first time, that a complete ban on asbestos with a lag time of 25 years could effectively reduce lung cancer incidence along with asbestos-related deaths and DALYs. These findings underscore the urgent need for a complete ban on asbestos (especially chrysotile).”

Stanford professor denied treatment for stage 4 cancer, partially re-approved following viral post
“When medical school professor Bryant Lin founded the Stanford Center for Asian Health Research and Education, he wanted to advance research on diseases that disproportionately affect Asian populations, such as nonsmoker lung cancer. What he didn’t expect was for himself to become a prime example of the phenomenon.”

Governor Stein Proclaims Lung Cancer Awareness Month

Lung Association Steps Up with $22 Million in Research Funding as Federal Support for Science Wavers
“Today, the American Lung Association Research Institute announced it has invested $22 million in new research grants, clinical research and strategic partnerships to advance the understanding, diagnosis, treatment and prevention of lung disease. Research is vital to the American Lung Association’s mission to prevent lung disease and lung cancer, and to improve the lives of the 35 million people in the U.S. living with chronic lung disease.”

What Drives Lung Cancer in Nonsmokers?
“TOPLINE: A comprehensive review of 92 studies found that 15% to 20% of lung cancers occurred among nonsmokers and were associated with environmental and germline risk factors. These cancers frequently harbored actionable genomic drivers, and targeted EGFR and ALK therapies produced significant disease-free survival (DFS) and overall survival benefits.”

Of Corn and Cancer: Iowa’s Deadly Water Crisis
“All that feed corn and all those soybeans—and those nearly 25 million hogs—produce a lot of nitrate. It’s making Iowans sick and causing them to die. And the politicians aren’t doing a thing about it.”

The New Lung Cancer Divide: Rural, Low-Income Young Adults Left Behind
“A sweeping U.S. analysis of 18,595 people aged 18–50 diagnosed with early-onset non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) has a blunt message: outcomes hinge not only on tumor biology but on where you live, what you earn, and how fast you receive care. More than half of these young adults—53.4%—were already at Stage IV when doctors first met them, a late presentation that sets survival on a steep downhill path from day one. The work, published October 13, 2025, in JAMA Network Open, reframes lung cancer in the young as a social and systems problem as much as a clinical one.”

American Lung Association Launches Campaign to Educate People Living With Lung Cancer and Lung Disease About Critical Vaccines
“Today, the American Lung Association launched a new campaign aimed at educating the public on the importance of staying up to date on recommended vaccinations for the upcoming respiratory virus season. This guidance is especially critical for the more than 35 million people in the United States living with chronic lung disease and the 235,000 people diagnosed with lung cancer each year, who are at higher risk for severe illness.”

HIV and lung cancer: a single cancer center experience
“Our cohort showed more advanced disease at presentation, younger age at diagnosis, and poor OS despite most patients having undetectable HIV viral loads on antiviral therapy, suggesting a link between well-controlled HIV and aggressive LC that warrants further study.”

USC Nursing research helps lung cancer patients live better, longer
“At the university’s Cancer Survivorship Research Center, nurse scientists are leading innovative studies to help people living with and beyond lung cancer better manage symptoms, maintain treatment, and enhance their quality of life.”

Wait times between lung cancer diagnosis and surgery: national trends, disparities, and impact on long-term survival
“Conclusions: Wait times exceeding 4 weeks between lung cancer diagnosis and surgery for stage I and II NSCLC are increasingly common, particularly among non-Hispanic Black patients, and are associated with worse long-term survival. Reducing time between cancer diagnosis and surgery may represent a therapeutic target to mitigate healthcare disparities.”

Team’s Biosensor Technology May Lead to Breath Test for Lung Cancer
“University of Texas at Dallas researchers have developed biosensor technology that when combined with artificial intelligence (AI) shows promise for detecting lung cancer through breath analysis. The electrochemical biosensor identifies eight volatile organic compounds (VOCs) that are potential biomarkers for thoracic cancers, which include lung and esophageal cancers. AI then analyzes the biochemical characteristics of the compounds to determine whether they are a match to those linked to various thoracic cancers.”

Online Program Increases Lung Cancer Screening Rates
“Key Takeaways: An online program improved lung cancer screening rates. The program offered an online educational video and a tool to weigh risks and benefits. Nearly 25% of patients assigned the program got a CT scan, compared to 17% of patients referred to their doctors.”

Actinium Announces Superior Anti-Tumor Activity of ATNM-400 in Lung Cancer Compared to the Leading First, Second and Third-Line Approved EGFR Mutant Therapies and Mechanistic Synergy with Osimertinib at the AACR-NCI-EORTC International Conference on Molecular Targets and Cancer Therapeutics
“ATNM-400 exhibits superior efficacy with 3-5x greater tumor growth inhibition compared to front line therapy osimertinib (EGFR TKI TAGRISSO®), second line therapy Dato-DXd (Trop-2 ADC DATROWAY®) and third line therapy amivantamab (EGFR-cMET bispecific RYBREVANT®). Combination of ATNM-400 and osimertinib resulted in complete tumor regression in 100% of tumor bearing animals; synergistic mechanism supported by increased ATNM-400 target antigen expression after EGFR inhibition with Osimertinib. Improved progression free survival has been demonstrated clinically with the combination of osimertinib and external beam radiotherapy providing strong rationale for a combination with targeted alpha-therapy. Data validates the multi-tumor potential of ATNM-400 in multiple disease and treatment settings that support several blockbuster drugs.”

Administration of statins is correlated with favourable prognosis in lung cancer patients receiving immune checkpoint inhibitors
“Conclusion: Statin use was significantly correlated with improved prognosis in lung cancer patients receiving ICIs. Statins may enhance ICI efficacy partly through RORA. Due to study limitations, the actual role of statins and their target genes in anti-cancer immunity needs further investigations.”

Sarcomatoid Lung Carcinoma Successfully Treated With Combined Cytotoxic Chemotherapy and Anti-Programmed Death-Ligand 1 (Anti-PD-L1) Antibodies
“Pulmonary sarcomatoid carcinoma is a rare, aggressive subtype of non-small-cell lung cancer with a poor prognosis and no established standard therapy for advanced disease. We report the case of a 68-year-old man with stage IVB pleomorphic carcinoma whose tumor expressed programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) with a tumor proportion score of 25%. The patient received four cycles of first-line therapy combining atezolizumab with carboplatin and paclitaxel. This treatment resulted in a significant partial response, with marked shrinkage of the primary tumor and metastatic lesions. This case suggests that the combination of an anti-PD-L1 antibody and platinum-based chemotherapy is a promising and effective therapeutic strategy for this challenging malignancy.”

Eosinophils as predictive biomarkers in anti-programmed cell death 1 monotherapy for non-small cell lung cancer
“The relationship between eosinophilia and cancer development has recently been investigated. However, the role of eosinophils in tumor immunity, particularly in the context of immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI) therapy, remains poorly understood.”

Personalized cancer vaccines: A new frontier in lung cancer treatment and prevention
“Despite declining tobacco use, lung cancer remains the leading cause of cancer-related death worldwide. As oncologists seek more-effective and individualized therapies, Mayo Clinic researchers are advancing a promising frontier: cancer vaccines. These immunotherapies are designed not only to treat existing disease but also to prevent recurrence and, potentially, primary onset in high-risk populations.”

Pfizer’s BRAFTOVI® + MEKTOVI® Shows Sustained Long-Term Survival in Patients with Advanced Lung Cancer
“BRAFTOVI + MEKTOVI continued to show a substantial median overall survival benefit of 47.6 months in treatment-naïve patients with BRAF V600E-mutant metastatic non-small cell lung cancer after approximately four years. Results from the Phase 2 PHAROS trial potentially establish new benchmark with targeted combination therapies for this patient population.”

Addressing Drug Resistance in Lung Cancer
“Key Takeaways: Drug resistance in lung cancer arises from pre-existing resistant clones and drug-tolerant states, complicating treatment strategies. Combination therapies and advanced inhibitors can preemptively address resistance pathways, improving response rates in targeted therapies.”

Tarlatamab Improves Survival Vs Chemotherapy in Second-Line SCLC Subgroups
“Treatment with tarlatamab-dlle (Imdelltra) improved overall survival (OS) vs chemotherapy among patients with small cell lung cancer (SCLC) regardless of chemotherapy-free intervals (CFIs) or prior receipt of anti–PD-(L)1 therapy, according to data from the phase 3 DeLLphi-304 trial (NCT05740566) presented at the European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO) Congress 2025.”

Osimertinib plus chemotherapy improves survival in EGFR-mutated lung cancer
“Treatment with osimertinib plus a platinum–pemetrexed chemotherapy combination resulted in statistically significant and clinically meaningful improvement in overall survival in patients with newly diagnosed EGFR-mutated advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) compared to osimertinib alone.”

New Exosomal Proteins Uncovered as Lung Cancer Biomarkers
“In a groundbreaking study that promises to revolutionize the early detection of lung cancer, Feng et al. have unveiled a set of novel exosomal protein biomarkers. These biomarkers emerged from an extensive proteomic profiling approach, specifically devised to enhance diagnostic capabilities.”

First-Line Alectinib Yields Clinically Meaningful OS Benefit in Advanced ALK+ NSCLC
“Key Takeaways: Alectinib improved overall survival in advanced ALK-positive NSCLC compared to crizotinib, though results were not statistically significant. Patients with CNS metastases who received radiation showed the most benefit from alectinib.”

ESMO 2025: Oral drug demonstrates promising anti-tumor activity in patients with advanced lung cancer
“Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer-related death worldwide, with up to 4% of non-small cell lung cancer cases having a HER2 gene mutation. Sevabertinib is an oral drug targeting HER2 mutations that shrinks tumors in advanced lung cancer patients, with minimal side effects. FDA granted priority review for sevabertinib, and results of this study will help inform the decision.”

New drug shows dramatic effect in shrinking lung cancer tumours
“A trial testing the drug zongertinib as a first treatment for people with advanced lung cancer who have a HER2 genetic mutation shows it can eradicate tumours in some patients while reducing their size in others.”

Most lung cancer is diagnosed at Stage 4: How Md. health system catches 40% at Stage 1
“Frederick Health Medical Group, in Frederick, Maryland, identifies lung cancer early by investigating tiny clues, which enables patients to get to cancer specialists earlier in the process, according to a doctor with the group.”

New Mobile Lung Cancer Screening Unit Launches to Improve Access to Care for New Yorkers
“A state-of-the-art health screening van launched this month is bringing advanced imaging technology and health education directly to New Yorkers who are at the greatest risk of developing lung cancer. The initiative — a collaboration between Weill Cornell Imaging at NewYork-Presbyterian, the Herbert Irving Comprehensive Cancer Center at NewYork-Presbyterian/Columbia University Irving Medical Center, and the Sandra and Edward Meyer Cancer Center at Weill Cornell Medicine — is designed to make early lung cancer detection more accessible and equitable.”

Actinium Pharmaceuticals to Unveil the Multi-Tumor Potential of ATNM-400, a First-in-Class Actinium-225 Radiotherapy, with Data in Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer at the AACR-NCI-EORTC International Conference on Molecular Targets and Cancer Therapeutics
“ATNM-400 is advancing as a first-in-class, multi-tumor Actinium-225 radiotherapy candidate with activity across prostate and lung cancers, two of the largest cancer indications globally. New preclinical findings demonstrate ATNM-400 overcomes resistance to the EGFR inhibitor osimertinib in EGFR-mutated NSCLC, addressing a major unmet clinical need”

New ‘Google maps’ approach to revolutionise lung cancer treatment
“Key points: Researchers have developed a way to predict how the most common form of lung cancer will respond to different therapies. Non-small cell lung cancer was mapped cell-by-cell using spatial biology and AI, taking the guess work out of drug treatment. The same approach could be used to inform treatments for other malignancies like melanoma, head and neck, and bladder cancer.”

Basal cells drive small cell lung cancer plasticity
“Small cell lung cancer (SCLC) is a highly aggressive neuroendocrine malignancy. The cell of origin is thought to be the pulmonary neuroendocrine cell, but pulmonary neuroendocrine cells fail to generate an aggressive form of the disease that is driven by tuft-like cells, suggesting the involvement of other cell types.”

30+ patient groups warn: Catastrophic coverage losses without Congressional action
“Today 33 non-partisan, non-profit patient advocacy organizations issued the following statement in response to Congress’s failure to renew the expiring enhanced premium tax credits (eAPTCs) before insurance companies issued their premium increase notices for the 2026 plan year. Congressional Budget Office estimates suggest that 1.5 million people will lose health coverage if Congress delays acting until December.”

Scientists need your toenails
“Donating blood, plasma, organs, and even full bodies saves countless lives every year. But toenail clippings could also become a life-saving body part with a new pilot study from the University of Calgary in Canada. The team is soliciting toenail donations (sorry, only from Canadians) to study a type of cancer that arises far from our feet–lung cancer.”

Early detection of non-small cell lung cancer: an electronic health record data-driven approach
“Conclusions: This study identified EHR-derived features which are predictive of early NSCLC diagnosis. The developed risk prediction model exhibits superior performance for early detection of NSCLC compared to a baseline model that only relies on demographic and smoking information, demonstrating the potential of incorporating EHR-derived features for personalized cancer screening recommendations and early detection.”

Study Shows Mediastinal LND Not Recommended in GGO-Dominant Lung Cancer
“Key Takeaways: The trial showed no lymph node metastasis in either arm, questioning the necessity of systematic LND in GGO-dominant lung adenocarcinoma. Patients in the no LND arm had shorter surgery duration, less blood loss, and reduced postoperative hospital stay compared to the systematic LND arm.”

Inflammation Biomarkers Signal High Lung Tumor Mutations
“In an innovative breakthrough study published in BMC Cancer, researchers have unveiled that systemic inflammation biomarkers may hold the key to identifying high tumor mutation burden (TMB) in lung adenocarcinoma patients. This revelation stands to revolutionize the way clinicians approach the assessment of TMB, a crucial biomarker for immunotherapy efficacy in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).”

Federal Housing Assistance Linked to Earlier Cancer Diagnosis in Older Adults
“A new study led by researchers from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health found that older adults receiving federal housing assistance were on average diagnosed at earlier stages with three common cancers—colon, breast, and non-small cell lung—compared to peer cancer patients who were not receiving assistance. The findings suggest that federal housing programs may provide supports that help improve cancer diagnosis. Early cancer diagnosis is key to better prognoses and has saved millions of lives.”

Innovative inhalable dry powder: nanoparticles loaded with Crizotinib for targeted lung cancer therapy
“In vitro studies indicated that the polymeric nanoparticles exhibited greater anticancer activity compared to free Crizotinib. Additional characterization using techniques like XRD, DSC, FTIR, and SEM confirmed that the polymeric nanoparticle formulation has promising physicochemical properties, suggesting it could enhance local drug delivery and efficacy in lung cancer treatment while potentially reducing systemic toxicity.”

FDA Approves Genentech’s Tecentriq Plus Lurbinectedin as First-Line Maintenance Therapy for Extensive-Stage Small Cell Lung Cancer
“Combination reduced the risk of disease progression or death by 46% and risk of death by 27% in pivotal Phase III IMforte study. First and only combination therapy for the first-line maintenance treatment of ES-SCLC, which is critical to help address the high rate of relapse in ES-SCLC. Regimen recommended in National Comprehensive Cancer Network® Guidelines for SCLC*”

Pfizer Reaches Landmark Agreement with U.S. Government to Lower Drug Costs for American Patients
“NEW YORK–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Pfizer Inc. (NYSE: PFE) today announced a historic agreement with the Trump Administration that will ensure U.S. patients pay lower prices for their prescription medicines while strengthening America’s role as the global leader in biopharmaceutical innovation. In response to the four points covered in the President’s July 31st letter, Pfizer has voluntarily agreed to implement measures designed to ensure Americans receive comparable drug prices to those available in other developed countries and pricing newly launched medicines at parity with other key developed markets. Pfizer will also participate in a direct purchasing platform, TrumpRx.gov, that will allow American patients to purchase medicines from Pfizer at a significant discount. The large majority of the Company’s primary care treatments and some select specialty brands will be offered at savings that will range as high as 85% and on average 50%.”

Impact of a Proactive Patient Assistance Program for Diverse Ambulatory Oncology Patients: A Retrospective Cohort Study
“Conclusion: A proactive patient financial assistance program can reduce financial distress, especially for those residing in high and medium-high SVI counties. Leveraging the expertise of a third party helps mitigate financial toxicity in the short term and can help drive more equitable cancer outcomes. The study is unique as it represents a diverse patient population that includes 10% Black/African American, 39% Hispanic/Latino, and a population at high risk for financial toxicity, given that 96% of AC patients reside in high or medium-high SVI counties.”

Sunvozertinib Exhibits Favorable Responses in EGFR-Mutated NSCLC
“Sunvozertinib (Zegfrovy) exhibited robust confirmed objective response rates (ORRs) among patients with non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) with EGFR exon 20 insertion mutations following treatment with platinum-based chemotherapy, according to results from the phase 2 WU-KONG1B trial (NCT03974022) published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology.”

Model Incorporates Novel Therapies, Inflammatory/Nutrition Markers for Survival Estimates for Lung Cancer with Bone Mets
“The currently available survival models for patients with lung cancer and bone metastases were developed in the era of chemotherapy and do not accurately reflect the survival seen with targeted therapies and immunotherapy, nor do they incorporate inflammatory and nutritional markers that are useful for cancer survival assessment.”

The impact of systemic inflammatory markers on EGFR-mutant non-small cell lung cancer
“Conclusion: Inflammation could be one of the pathogenesis of both NSCLC and EGFRm lung cancer as we demonstrated in our pilot study. STAT3 is a potentially inflammatory-predictive biomarkers. Larger cohort is needed.”

Real-World Outcomes in Anaplastic Lymphoma Kinase–Positive Advanced Non–Small Cell Lung Cancer in Argentina: A Multicenter Retrospective Study (GAOT-ALK001)
“Conclusion: This real-world study describes outcomes and treatment patterns among patients with ALKp in Argentina. It highlights disparities in access to optimal therapies and reinforces the need for equitable access to new-generation ALK inhibitors to improve clinical outcomes.”

Nearly $500K NIH grant to help UD researchers explore lung cancer detection, treatment
“The National Institutes of Health has awarded nearly a half-million dollars to two University of Dayton researchers exploring strategies for the detection and potential treatment of non-small cell lung cancer. The project led by Shawn Swavey, professor of chemistry, and Kristen Krupa, chair of UD’s department of chemical and materials engineering, will focus on developing fluorescent imaging tools to better understand how stress inside cancer cells can be used to detect and potentially destroy tumors.”

Single Dose of Radiation as Effective as 5-Week Course for Lung Cancer: Roswell Park Shares Results at ASTRO
“Research from a team of radiation oncology experts at Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center has been selected as one of the “most clinically relevant” presentations at the annual meeting of the American Society for Radiation Oncology (ASTRO), which continues through Oct. 1, 2025, in San Francisco. The study reports the results of a clinical trial at Roswell Park demonstrating that a single dose of highly precise radiation delivered post-operatively to patients with non-small cell lung cancer provides the same local disease control as the traditional five-week course of radiation — but is less toxic, causing fewer side effects.”

Twice-Daily Chemoradiotherapy Boosts Survival in Limited-Stage SCLC
“Across 8 trials including approximately 3000 patients, Gui, resident physician in the Department of Radiation Medicine at Northwell Health Cancer Institute, noted that survival improved with a twice-daily radiotherapy schedule, even when combining CRT with immunotherapy. Furthermore, there appeared to be no differences in high-grade toxicities of interest when comparing the twice-daily and once-daily regimens.”

Radiation Shows Similar 10-Year Outcomes Vs Surgery in Early-Stage NSCLC
“Stereotactic ablative radiotherapy (SABR) yielded no significant differences in outcomes such as overall survival (OS), cancer-specific survival, and recurrence-free survival (RFS) vs video-assisted thoracoscopic lobectomy with mediastinal lymph node dissection (VATS L-MLND) among those with early-stage non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), according to a presentation on 10-year data from the revised phase 2 STARS trial (NCT02357992) at the 2025 American Society for Radiation Oncology (ASTRO) Annual Meeting.”

Updated ASCO Guidelines for Treating Stage IV Non–Small Cell Lung Cancer
“In stage IV NSCLC, biomarker testing should now drive nearly every first-line decision.”

Major Adverse Cardiovascular Events and ICI Therapy for Lung Cancer
“Immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI) therapy was associated with a greater frequency of certain major adverse cardiovascular events (MACEs), such as myocarditis and pericarditis, in patients with primary lung cancer identified in a nationwide database in Japan. These study results were reported in the journal The Oncologist.”

Drug candidate blocks lung cancer growth without harming healthy cells
“In a study led by Nadav Wallis, a Ph.D. student in the laboratory of Prof. Joel K. Yisraeli of the Hebrew University Hadassah Medical School, researchers identified a small molecule called AVJ16 that shows remarkable potential in shutting down the growth of lung tumors. Published in Oncogene, the study highlights how AVJ16 specifically blocks a cancer-driving protein known as IGF2BP1, a molecule found in many aggressive tumors but absent in healthy adult tissue.”

World-first test could speed lung cancer diagnosis by hunting for ‘zombie cells’ in urine
“The new tool, which uses an injectable sensor to test urine samples, aims to help doctors identify the disease before it spreads.”

Durvalumab, carboplatin, and etoposide in patients who are treatment-naive with extensive-stage small-cell lung cancer and poor performance status (NEJ045A): a single-arm phase 2 trial
“Interpretation: Durvalumab, carboplatin, and etoposide showed tolerability and promising efficacy as a first-line treatment for patients with untreated extensive-stage SCLC with poor performance status, supporting the integration of immune checkpoint inhibitors in this therapeutically challenging population.”

Duke researchers discover new origin of small cell lung cancer in study
“DURHAM, N.C. (WTVD) — Small cell lung cancer is one of the most aggressive and deadly forms of lung cancer commonly associated with smoking. Now, researchers at Duke Health have uncovered a surprising new origin of the disease. Inside the lab, Duke scientists developed advanced models to trace how tumor cells evolve and how they might be stopped before the cancer spreads.”

Common Medications Linked to Worse Survival in Lung Cancer Patients Receiving Keytruda
“Use of certain antibiotics, steroids and proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) at the start of immunotherapy was associated with shorter survival in patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), according to a nationwide cohort study from France published Sept. 10, 2025, in JAMA Network Open.”

A breath of hope: Cross-country journey will shine spotlight on lung cancer
“HIGH POINT — Dusty Donaldson will never forget the four words that changed her life two decades ago: “You have lung cancer.” The 71-year-old High Point woman remembers the shock. She remembers the fear. She remembers the depth of her ignorance about lung cancer and — once she began to learn — the sense of hopelessness that enveloped her. “At the time, I didn’t know lung cancer was the number-one cancer killer,” Donaldson says. “Like everyone else, I assumed it was breast cancer, but I was wrong. And I was shocked at the mortality rate for lung cancer — there was only a 15% survival rate at that time, so that’s an 85% mortality rate.” Twenty years later, though, Donaldson is cancer-free and is recognized as one of the nation’s most fiercely passionate advocates for lung cancer patients, dispensing knowledge, compassion and — perhaps most importantly — hope.”

Detection of ctDNA could help determine use of immunotherapy for small cell lung cancer
“Key takeaways: Patients with limited-stage small cell lung cancer with ctDNA positivity after chemotherapy had significant survival benefits from immunotherapy. Those who did not have detectable ctDNA did not.”

Motivation to Quit Smoking Highest Around the Time of Cancer Surgery
“Smoking before a cancer-related surgery is associated with a higher symptom burden, but the perioperative period is a prime time for patients to consider quitting, a JAMA Network Open study finds.”

World-renowned cancer doctor reveals his own diagnosis
“AURORA, Colo. (KDVR) – Dr. Ross Camidge is the director of the Thoracic Oncology Department at the University of Colorado Cancer Center. The doctor, who has an MD and Ph.D, has helped treat thousands of lung cancer patients from more than 40 states and over 40 countries. Now, in a life twist, Camidge is a lung cancer patient himself.”

Lung cancer screening guidance needed for certain never-smokers
“Key takeaways: Guidelines are needed for populations of never-smokers who have increased risk for lung cancer. Asian women who never smoked developed lung cancer at similar rates as groups with heightened risks.”

SHR-4849 Shows Activity With Manageable Safety in Relapsed Small Cell Lung Cancer
“The DLL3-directed antibody-drug conjugate (ADC) SHR-4849 (IDE849) demonstrated a tolerable toxicity profile and elicited responses in patients with relapsed small cell lung cancer (SCLC), according to preliminary data from a first-in-human phase 1 study (NCT06443489).”

Machine learning models can predict urgent care needs for patients with non–small cell lung cancer
“A new study published in JCO Clinical Cancer Informatics demonstrates that machine learning models incorporating patient-reported outcomes and wearable sensor data can predict which patients with non–small cell lung cancer are most at risk of needing urgent care during treatment.”

WCLC 2025: The Top 5 Takeaways Across Lung Cancer Care
“CancerNetwork® covered the newest clinical trial findings that researchers presented at the meeting. Here are the top 5 takeaways that may impact lung cancer management.”

Impact of Anticoagulant and Antiplatelet Therapy on the National Optimal Lung Cancer Pathway (NOLCP)
“Background: Lung cancer remains the leading cause of cancer-related mortality in the UK, with early diagnosis critical to improving survival. The National Optimal Lung Cancer Pathway (NOLCP) aims to streamline diagnosis and treatment, recently introducing a three-day direct-to-biopsy target for select patients. However, many lung cancer patients are on medications that increase the risk of bleeding (RoB), which may delay biopsy scheduling.”

Surufatinib Combo Displays Promising Efficacy in Frontline ES-SCLC
“After a median follow-up of 13.40 months among 11 patients treated with the surufatinib-based combination, the median overall survival (OS) was 15.80 months (95% CI, 8.61-NA [not applicable]). The median progression-free survival (PFS) was 7.95 months (95% CI, 4.70-9.03). Additionally, the overall response rate (ORR) was 100% among these patients, all of which were partial responses.”

Loss of Skeletal Muscle Mass Is Associated With Reduced Cytotoxic T Cell Abundance and Poor Survival in Advanced Lung Cancer
“Conclusion: SM loss is an independent predictor for survival in patients with advanced lung cancer and is associated with reduced peripheral and tumour-infiltrating cytotoxic T cell abundance. An inadequate antitumour immune response may contribute to metabolic tissue wasting in cancer.”

STAS Predicts Prognosis in Early NSCLC Regardless of Surgical Approach
“The presence of tumor spread through air spaces (STAS) demonstrated an association with poor prognosis in patients with early-stage non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), whether undergoing segmentectomy or lobectomy, according to findings from an analysis of the phase III JCOG0802/WJOG4607L trial presented at the International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer (IASLC) 2025 World Conference on Lung Cancer (WCLC; Abstract PL03.16).”

Tarlatamab Plus Anti–PD-L1 Therapy as Frontline Maintenance Shows Unprecedented OS in ES-SCLC
“The addition of tarlatamab-dlle (Imdelltra) to anti–PD-L1 therapy as frontline maintenance following chemoimmunotherapy led to unprecedented overall survival (OS) outcomes with long-term tolerability in patients with extensive-stage small cell lung cancer (ES-SCLC), according to extended follow-up findings from the phase 1b DeLLphi-303 trial (NCT05361395).”

Osimertinib Plus Chemo May Be Effective After Progression on Osimertinib
“Adding osimertinib to platinum-based chemotherapy may improve outcomes in patients with EGFR-mutant, advanced non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) who had disease progression on first-line treatment with osimertinib, according to research presented at the 2025 World Conference on Lung Cancer.”

Lurbinectedin Yields Responses in Various ES-SCLC Subgroups
“Lurbinectedin (Zepzelca) was efficacious across various extensive-stage small cell lung cancer (ES-SCLC) patient subgroups, including older patients, those with platinum-resistant disease, and those with central nervous system (CNS) metastases, as shown in results from the phase 4 Jazz EMERGE 402 trial (NCT04894591) shared at the IASLC 2025 World Conference on Lung Cancer (WCLC).”

Lung Cancer Screening May Benefit Adults Up to Age 80 Who Are Fit for Surgery
“Older individuals up to the age of 80 who are eligible for lung surgery may achieve a survival benefit from lung cancer screening comparable to that for younger patients, according to the results of a multicenter cohort study from the United Kingdom presented at the International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer (IASLC) 2025 World Conference on Lung Cancer (WCLC; Abstract PL03.19). The findings support a push to extend the upper limit of lung cancer screening recommendations across national programs to include individuals aged 75 to 80, in line with the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force’s recommendations.”

Lung cancer cells in the brain form electrical connections with neurons that spur tumor growth
“Small cell lung cancer cells that metastasize to the brain cozy up to neurons and form working electrical connections, called synapses, according to an upcoming study led by Stanford Medicine researchers. The pulse of electrical signals to the cancer cells strongly promotes tumor growth, the researchers found. Although interactions between neurons and cancer cells have been shown to occur in primary brain cancers (cancers that originate in the brain rather than traveling there from elsewhere in the body), the study is the first to show a similar interaction with lung cancer cells.”