Lung Cancer Weekly News

Cisplatin-Based Chemotherapy Linked to Hearing Loss in Cancer Survivors
“Patients with cancer who received cisplatin-based chemotherapy for an average of 14 years experienced significant hearing difficulties in everyday listening, according to study authors from the University of South Florida (USF). The study is the first to assess listening challenges and hearing loss (HL) progression in recovered patients, highlighting the need for regular audiological evaluations to prevent and mitigate HL in patients who received cisplatin-based chemotherapy.”

Unlocking the mystery of preexisting drug resistance: New study sheds light on cancer evolution
“The evolution of resistance to diseases, from infectious illnesses to cancers, poses a formidable challenge. Despite the expectation that resistance-conferring mutations would dwindle in the absence of treatment due to a reduced growth rate, preexisting resistance is pervasive across diseases that evolve—like cancer and pathogens—defying conventional wisdom.”

PIM1/NF-κB/CCL2 blockade enhances anti-PD-1 therapy response by modulating macrophage infiltration and polarization in tumor microenvironment of NSCLC
“Elevated infiltration of tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) drives tumor progression and correlates with poor prognosis for various tumor types. Our research identifies that the ablation of the Pim-1 proto-oncogene (PIM1) in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) suppresses TAM infiltration and prevents them from polarizing toward the M2 phenotype, thereby reshaping the tumor immune microenvironment (TME).”

The impact of tertiary lymphoid structures on tumor prognosis and the immune microenvironment in non-small cell lung cancer
“Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is a common malignancy whose prognosis and treatment outcome are influenced by many factors. Some studies have found that tertiary lymphoid structures (TLSs) in cancer may contribute to prognosis and the prediction of immunotherapy efficacy However, the combined role of TLSs in NSCLC remains unclear.”

40% of US cancer cases linked to lifestyle choices
“In a recent study published in CA: A Cancer Journal for Clinicians, a team of researchers analyzed nationally representative cancer incidence, risk factor prevalence, and mortality data to determine the number and proportion of various types of cancer cases and cancer-related mortality that could be attributed to modifiable risk factors.”

Chinese doctors successfully implement global first remote robot-assist lung cancer surgery for patient in Xinjiang
“A groundbreaking remote robot-assisted lung cancer surgery spanning over 5,000 kilometers was successfully completed at the Second People’s Hospital of Kashi in Northwest China’s Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region in collaboration with the Shanghai Chest Hospital On Saturday.”

FDA Awards Fast Track Designation to CT-0525 for HER2-Overexpressing Solid Tumors
“CT-0525 is an anti-HER2 CAR-monocyte therapy showing promising preclinical results in HER2-overexpressing solid tumors. The phase 1 study will assess safety, tolerability, and manufacturing feasibility in patients with advanced HER2-overexpressing tumors.”

Tecentriq combination fails to improve survival in metastatic lung cancer
“Tiragolumab plus atezolizumab added to chemotherapy did not extend survival outcomes as first-line therapy of locally advanced unresectable or metastatic non-squamous non-small cell lung cancer, interim results from a randomized study showed.”

The Role of AI in Empowering Early Lung Cancer Detection & Transforming Patient Outcomes
“Lung cancer remains the single most common etiology of cancer-related mortality globally, with most patients diagnosed at advanced stages when treatment efficacy is limited. Detecting lung cancer earlier can significantly improve survival rates, with a greater than 90% survival rate when treatment commences at stage 1.”

ACS awards grant to Hollings pulmonologist to improve lung cancer biomarker testing at community hospitals
“The American Cancer Society has awarded an MUSC Hollings Cancer Center pulmonologist a career development grant to begin research on a logistical question that could improve care for lung cancer patients at community hospitals across South Carolina.”

FDA Grants Fast Track Designation to ABD-147 for Small Cell Lung Cancer
“The FDA granted fast track designation to Abdera Therapeutics’ ABD-147 as treatment for extensive stage small cell lung cancer (SCLC) who have progressed on or after platinum-based chemotherapy. The drug is a next-generation precision radiopharmaceutical that delivers Actinium-225 to solid tumors that express the DLL3 protein.”

Detecting lung cancer early with sugar-sensing nanotech
“For such a common disease, lung cancer can be hard to spot. In the early stages you probably won’t even know you’ve got a problem. But by the time you investigate that persistent cough, your livelihood may already hinge on a range of expensive, invasive treatments. Quan Zhou and Dr Richard Lobb say it doesn’t have to be this way – and they’ve got a sugar-sensing piece of technology that proves it.”

New Imaging Detects Deadly Lung and Prostate Cancers, May Improve Treatment
“A new imaging technique developed at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSK) shows promise for detecting deadly forms of lung cancer and prostate cancer. The technology uses a radioactive particle that binds to a ligand (molecule) on cancer cells called DLL3, making the cells more visible on PET scans. The DLL3 ligand is especially prominent in small cell lung cancer (SCLC) and neuroendocrine prostate cancer (NEPC), which are aggressive types of the disease.”

Real-World Challenges in Cancer Screening: Understanding Data Sources
“In a recent interview with The American Journal of Managed Care®, Jessica K. Paulus, ScD, senior director of real-world research, Ontada, a business of McKesson, and a trained epidemiologist, addressed challenges in the non–small cell lung cancer space (NSCLC) that include advanced disease at presentation and trends seen in real-world data for these patients.”

Moffitt Researchers Develop Synthesis Method to Enhance Access to Cancer-Fighting Withanolides
“TAMPA, Fla. — Withanolides, a class of naturally occurring compounds found in plants, have long been a focus of cancer research due to their ability to inhibit cancer cell growth, induce cell death and prevent metastasis. These compounds are important in developing new cancer treatments. However, the difficulty of obtaining enough of these compounds from plants has hindered research and therapeutic development.”

Back in Spotlight, Incredibly Youthful Newsman John Stossel, 77, Beat Lung Cancer & Quickly Returned To Work— Early Detection Is Key
“TV presenter John Stossel was diagnosed with lung cancer back in 2016 and underwent surgery remove it. Stossel thankfully didn’t further treatment for the disease, which he credits his “overanxious wife” for leading to him to detecting it early on, and he returned to work soon.”

Slowing inflammation may boost immunotherapy’s effectiveness against advanced lung cancer
“Adding an anti-inflammatory drug to anti-PD1 checkpoint inhibitor immunotherapy has shown great promise as a new strategy against advanced lung cancer, based on results from a clinical trial led by investigators at the Abramson Cancer Center at the Perelman School of Medicine.

FDA Declines To Approve Merck-Daiichi Sankyo Partnered Lung Cancer Drug
“On Wednesday, the FDA issued a Complete Response Letter (CRL) for the Biologics License Application (BLA) seeking accelerated approval of Daiichi Sankyo (OTC:DSKYF) (OTC:DSNKY) and Merck & Co Inc’s (NYSE:MRK) patritumab deruxtecan (HER3-DXd) for adult patients with locally advanced or metastatic EGFR-mutated non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) previously treated with two or more systemic therapies.”

Blood test developed by KU researchers can detect early-stage lung cancer
“Biosensor technology can detect lung cancer in blood when it is still curable and could be used to screen large populations at risk for the disease.”

Update on ADJUVANT BR.31 Phase III trial of Imfinzi in non-small cell lung cancer
“High-level results from the ADJUVANT BR.31 Phase III trial, sponsored by the Canadian Cancer Trials Group (CCTG), showed Imfinzi (durvalumab) did not achieve statistical significance for the primary endpoint of disease-free survival (DFS) versus placebo in early-stage (IB-IIIA) non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) after complete tumour resection in patients whose tumours express PD-L1 on 25% or more tumour cells.”

Risk for lung cancer reoccurrence may be associated with OSA-related hypoxemia
“Key takeaways: In univariate analysis, a 4% oxygen desaturation index greater than 15 was significantly linked to lung cancer reoccurrence. Two hypoxic burden measures continued to be significant in adjusted analysis.”

Study links neighborhood violence, lung cancer progression
“CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — Scientists have identified a potential driver of aggressive lung cancer tumors in patients who live in areas with high levels of violent crime. Their study found that stress responses differ between those living in neighborhoods with higher and lower levels of violent crime, and between cancerous and healthy tissues in the same individuals.”

Lung cancer metabolomics: a pooled analysis in the Cancer Prevention Studies
“This is the largest prospective study examining untargeted metabolic profiles regarding lung cancer risk. Sphingomyelin (d18:0/22:0), a sphingolipid, and taurodeoxycholic acid 3-sulfate, a bile salt, may be risk factors and potential screening biomarkers for lung cancer. Lipid and amino acid metabolism may contribute significantly to lung cancer etiology which varied by smoking status.”

Nurse training key to improving cancer screening for transgender and gender diverse individuals
“The lack of culturally safe health screening for people who are transgender and gender diverse (TGD) is putting them at greater risk of cancer going undetected, but nurse practitioners could be trained to help close the gap.”

Cancer and the Question of Faith
“We recognize that cancer can raise profound spiritual and existential questions. This issue explores the relationship between cancer and faith as we hear from individuals who have found solace in their beliefs during challenging times and speak with experts about the impact that cancer can have on a person’s spiritual views.”

I’m a 34-Year-Old Nonsmoker Who Got Lung Cancer. These Were My First Symptoms
“Ashley Vassallo, 34, is young, active, and a nonsmoker, so when the Bay Area resident had a cough, doctors assumed it was due to COVID or another common ailment. But Vassallo was actually in the early stages of lung cancer, which is often considered one of the most preventable types: Roughly 70% of cases are a direct result of cigarette smoking. However, lung cancer among women under 50 is rising—and that doesn’t seem to correspond with an increase in smokers.”

Drug trial results show lung cancer patients are living longer
“Pfizer has announced promising follow-up results from its Phase 3 CROWN trial evaluating LORBRENA (lorlatinib, a third-generation ALK inhibitor) in 296 people with previously untreated, anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK)-positive advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).”

Entrectinib in ROS1-positive advanced non-small cell lung cancer: the phase 2/3 BFAST trial
“Although comprehensive biomarker testing is recommended for all patients with advanced/metastatic non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) before initiation of first-line treatment, tissue availability can limit testing. Genomic testing in liquid biopsies can be utilized to overcome the inherent limitations of tissue sampling and identify the most appropriate biomarker-informed treatment option for patients.”

 

‘Self-Taught’ AI Tool Helps to Diagnose & Predict Severity of Common Lung Cancer
“A computer program based on data from nearly a half-million tissue images and powered by artificial intelligence (AI) can accurately diagnose in cases of adenocarcinoma, the most common form of lung cancer, a new study shows. Researchers at NYU Langone Health’s Perlmutter Cancer Center and the University of Glasgow, in Scotland, developed and tested the program. They say that because it incorporates structural features of tumors from 452 adenocarcinoma patients, who are among the more than 11,000 patients in the U.S. National Cancer Institute’s Cancer Genome Atlas, the program offers an unbiased, detailed, and reliable second opinion for patients and oncologists about the presence of the cancer and the likelihood and timing of its return, also known as its prognosis.”

Yale Cancer Center sees gains in lung cancer treatment
“NEW HAVEN, Conn. (WTNH) — The Yale Cancer Center has seen immense progress in the last 20 years in how lung cancer is treated. “The good news is that we’re diagnosing it earlier,” said Dr. Roy Herbst, the deputy director of the center. “The good news is that we have more specific therapies.” What those therapies are, and how they can best be used, was discussed at the annual lung cancer SPORE (specialized program of research excellence) workshop this week.”

MSU researchers discover honeybees can detect lung cancer
“Michigan State University researchers have discovered that honeybees can detect biomarkers or chemical concentrations associated with lung cancer in human breath. The researchers have also shown that the honeybees can distinguish between different lung cancer cell types using only the ‘smell’ of the cell cultures.  These findings could be used as a model for developing new tests to diagnose lung cancer early.”

Cost of Care Discussions Rarely Documented for Patients with Advanced Cancer, New Study Shows
“ATLANTA, June 13, 2024 — A new large population-based pilot study led by researchers at the American Cancer Society (ACS) and the National Cancer Institute shows cost discussions were infrequently documented in medical records of patient diagnosed with advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and melanoma, which may hinder identifying patient financial needs and tracking outcomes of associated referrals. The findings will be published today in the journal Cancer.”

Why many people with lung cancer who have never smoked don’t respond well to treatments
“Researchers report that people who have never smoked are less likely to respond to standard treatment for non-small cell lung cancer. Researchers say a combination of two genetic mutations may make cancer cells in non-smokers more resistant to treatment. They add that new diagnostic tests and targeted therapy are needed to address treatment-resistant cases.”

Lung cancer screening program identifies airways disease in previously undiagnosed COPD
“Key takeaways: More individuals with vs. without a history of COPD had pulmonary comorbidities on low-dose CT. Age, gender and smoking status significantly differed between these two groups.”

Updates from ASCO 2024
“Each year, The Patient Story attends a handful of cancer conferences to meet with experts on the frontlines of cancer care and report on developments that matter to patients. We’ve reported on ASH, SABCS, and ASCO. The American Society for Clinical Oncology (ASCO), established in 1964, plays a pivotal role in the global fight against cancer.  It was held from May 31 to June 4, 2024. This page provides updates from our attendance.”

Dr Jani on the Effects of Tobacco and Air Pollution on Lung Cancer Mortality
“Overall, although progress has been made to reduce tobacco-related lung cancer deaths, ongoing efforts in this area are crucial to continue to decrease lung cancer mortality rates, Jani notes. Concurrently, there must be a heightened focus on combating air pollution through increased awareness of this issue and stricter policy measures to further reduce global lung cancer mortality rates, Jani concludes.”

Nano-immunotherapy developed to improve lung cancer treatment
“Researchers at Brigham and Women’s Hospital have developed a new nanomedicine therapy that delivers anticancer drugs to lung cancer cells and enhances the immune system’s ability to fight cancer. The team showed promising results for the new therapy in cancer cells in the lab and in mouse lung tumor models, with potential applications for improving care and outcomes for patients with tumors that have failed to respond to traditional immunotherapy.”

1st-of-its kind study unearths factors radiology providers can modify to boost cancer screening uptake
“A first-of-its kind new study examines factors radiology providers can modify to boost screening uptake. Challenges addressing lung cancer are well-documented: Only 5% to 21% of eligible Americans undergo low-dose CT imaging. These numbers are even worse among populations that bear a disproportionate burden of lung cancer, experts detailed in JAMA Network Open [1]. Black individuals, for instance, are 16% less likely to survive five years after a diagnosis, with worse odds of receiving LDCT.”

Dr. Eric Singhi on Why It’s Critical to Bring Practice-Changing Lung Cancer Developments to Community Oncologists
“Advancements in Oncology, held on Saturday, June 1, featured key insights on new lung cancer data presented at the annual meeting, in addition to panels on breast, gastrointestinal, and genitourinary cancers. The event focused on providing key updates for community oncologists, which was particularly important in the lung cancer setting, with multiple practice-changing updates being presented.”

Stress Related to Residing in Violent Neighborhoods May Be Tied to Aggressive Lung Cancer in Black Men
“Exposure to increased neighborhood violence may change the glucocorticoid receptor for the stress hormone cortisol and influence the aggressiveness of lung cancer, according to new findings presented by Heath et al at the Endocrine Society’s Annual Meeting & Exposition 2024.”

AI Blood Test Dependably Detects Lung Cancer
“Using artificial intelligence technology to identify patterns of DNA fragments associated with lung cancer, researchers from the Johns Hopkins Kimmel Cancer Center and other institutions have developed and validated a liquid biopsy that may help identify lung cancer earlier. In a prospective study published June 3 in Cancer Discovery, the team demonstrated that artificial intelligence technology could identify people more likely to have lung cancer based on DNA fragment patterns in the blood.”

Lung Cancer Screening Before and After a Multifaceted Electronic Health Record Intervention
“Question  Is a multifaceted lung cancer screening intervention, including a shared decision-making tool, clinician-facing reminders, narrative guidance provided in the ordering process, and patient-facing reminders, associated with improved screening-related care (care gap closure) for lung cancer screening?”

Positive results in lung cancer show benefits of subcutaneous bispecifics
“Key takeaways: Subcutaneous delivery reduced administration time from several hours to less than 5 minutes. Although unexpected, researchers reported improvement in PFS and OS with subcutaneous delivery.”

Long-term Data in Patients with Metastatic Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer Harboring MET Exon 14 Skipping Alterations
“TEPMETKO recently received full approval from the FDA for the above indication.2 The conversion to full FDA approval was based on data from the pre-planned confirmatory long-term follow-up analysis of Cohort C of the VISION study. TEPMETKO is the only FDA-approved once-daily oral MET inhibitor and may be dose-reduced in order to help manage adverse reactions.”

ASCO: Ivonescimab Improves Progression-Free Survival in EGFR+ Lung Cancer
“THURSDAY, June 6, 2024 (HealthDay News) — For patients with non-small cell lung cancer with the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) variant, ivonescimab plus chemotherapy improves progression-free survival, according to a study published online May 31 in the Journal of the American Medical Association to coincide with the annual meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology, held from May 31 to June 4 in Chicago.”

Addabbo Bill Requiring Health Insurance Coverage For Lung Cancer and Breast Cancer Screening Approved by NYS Senate
“Queens, NY (June 6, 2024): New York State Senator Joseph P. Addabbo, Jr. announced his bill (S.8553C) requiring health insurance policies to provide coverage, without a co-pay or deductible for lung cancer screening, was approved by the New York State Senate.”

Lung cancer screening found to prolong lives in real-world study
“Among US veterans diagnosed with lung cancer through the Veterans Health Administration health care system, those who underwent screening before diagnosis were more likely to be diagnosed with earlier stage disease and had a higher cure rate than those who had not been screened.”

New Study Finds Most Eligible U.S. Adults not Getting Screened for Lung Cancer
“ATLANTA, June 10, 2024 — A new study led by American Cancer Society (ACS) researchers shows less than one-in-five eligible individuals in the United States were up-to-date (UTD) with recommended lung cancer screening (LCS). The screening uptake was much lower in persons without health insurance or usual source of care and in Southern states with the highest lung cancer burden. The findings are published today in JAMA (Journal of the American Medical Association) Internal Medicine.”

Lung Cancer Was a Death Sentence. Now Drugs Are Saving Lives.
“There is more hope than ever for people diagnosed with the deadliest cancer. Declines in smoking and the advent of screening and newer drugs have transformed the outlook for patients with lung cancer, once considered a death sentence. Progress against the disease has propelled the drop in overall cancer deaths in the U.S. over the past three decades.”

Temple University Hospital and Fox Chase Cancer Center Researchers Characterize HER2 Mutations in Patients With Lung Adenocarcinoma
“PHILADELPHIA (June 3, 2024) — Human epidermal growth factor 2 (HER2) mutations can be identified in up to 6% of non-small cell lung cancer cases where KRAS, EGFR, or ALK gene mutations are also found, according to the results of research from Temple University Hospital and Fox Chase Cancer Center presented today at the 2024 American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Annual Meeting.”

TAGRISSO® (osimertinib) reduced the risk of disease progression or death by 84% in patients with unresectable, Stage III EGFR-mutated lung cancer vs. placebo in LAURA Phase III trial
“First and only EGFR inhibitor and targeted treatment to show benefit in Stage III setting, extending progression-free survival by more than three years. Positive results from the LAURA Phase III trial showed AstraZeneca’s TAGRISSO® (osimertinib) demonstrated a statistically significant and highly clinically meaningful improvement in progression-free survival (PFS) for patients with unresectable, Stage III epidermal growth factor receptor-mutated (EGFRm) non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) whose tumors have exon 19 deletions or exon 21 (L858R) mutations, after chemoradiotherapy (CRT) compared to placebo after CRT.”

Imfinzi is first and only immunotherapy to show survival benefit in limited-stage small cell lung cancer in global Phase III trial, reducing the risk of death by 27% vs. placebo
“57% of patients treated with Imfinzi were alive at three years in ADRIATIC Phase III trial
Positive results from the ADRIATIC Phase III trial showed AstraZeneca’s ​Imfinzi (durvalumab) ​demonstrated statistically significant and clinically meaningful improvements in the dual primary endpoints of overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) compared to placebo for patients with limited-stage small cell lung cancer (LS-SCLC) who had not progressed following standard-of-care concurrent chemoradiotherapy (cCRT).”

Telehealth Palliative Care Remains Beneficial in Advanced Lung Cancer
“Palliative care was determined to be equally beneficial to in-person quality-of-life visits for patients with non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), according to research presented at the 2024 ASCO Annual Meeting. Results from the REACH PC trial (NCT033754890) “underscore the potential to increase access to evidence based early palliative care through telehealth delivery,” stated researcher Joseph Greer, Ph.D., associate professor of psychology in the Department of Psychiatry at Harvard Medical School in Boston, during a press briefing at the conference.”

KRAZATI (adagrasib) Demonstrated Statistically Significant Improvement in Progression-Free Survival in Patients with Pretreated Locally Advanced or Metastatic KRASG12C-Mutated Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer
“Bristol Myers Squibb (NYSE: BMY) today announced results from the Phase 3 KRYSTAL-12 study evaluating KRAZATI® (adagrasib)compared to standard of care chemotherapy in patients with locally advanced or metastatic KRASG12C-mutated non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) who had previously received platinum-based chemotherapy, concurrently or sequentially with anti-PD-(L)1 therapy. At a median follow-up of 9.4 months, KRAZATI demonstrated a statistically significant and clinically meaningful improvement in progression-free survival (PFS), the study’s primary endpoint, as assessed by Blinded Independent Central Review (BICR) compared to docetaxel (HR: 0.58; [95% CI, 0.45-0.76]; P <0.0001).”

Lung-RADS update helps limit false-positive results, unnecessary procedures
“A comparison between Lung Imaging Reporting and Data System (Lung-RADS) version 1.1 and Lung-RADS version 2022 found the newer version helped reduce the number of false-positive screening CT examinations while still identifying malignant airway nodules. The study from Brigham and Women’s Hospital, recently published in Radiology: Cardiothoracic Imaging, demonstrated the improved diagnostic accuracy of version 2022, which may lead to a decrease in unnecessary interventions such as bronchoscopy.”

Pfizer’s Lorbrena extends life for patients with rare lung cancer
“Pfizer’s lung cancer drug Lorbrena can extend life for patients with a rare form of the disease for years longer than other drugs, according to new research published Friday. The drug treats a type of non-small cell lung cancer with a genetic mutation called ALK. Non-small cell lung cancers account for about 85% of lung cancer diagnoses, and ALK-positive cancers account for about 4% of those diagnoses — more than 70,000 people every year. The cancer tends to occur in younger patients who are nonsmokers.”

Gilead’s Trodelvy extends lung cancer survival by just 1.3 months in trial
“(Reuters) – Gilead Sciences’ Trodelvy improved survival by 1.3 months more than chemotherapy in previously treated patients with advanced lung cancer in a late-stage trial, a difference that was not statistically significant, the company said on Friday. Patients given Trodelvy lived for a median of 11.1 months, while those on chemotherapy lived for 9.8 months, Gilead said. The company in January said that the non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) trial had failed to meet its main goal of proving Trodelvy could extend survival over chemotherapy.”

Optellum showcases AI for precision lung cancer treatment at ASCO 2024
“OXFORD, United Kingdom, May 30, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — Optellum, a global leader in AI-driven clinical decision support for early lung cancer diagnosis, has launched its multimodal therapy AI guidance platform for life science research. The novel AI software and scientific results, showing potential to optimize curative lung cancer treatment, will be showcased for the first time at the 2024 ASCO Annual Meeting in Chicago (31 May—4 June).”

CT Study Links Better Five-Year Prognosis with Minor Ground Glass Opacity Component in NSCLC Lung Nodules
“In comparison to pure solid nodules in patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), nodules with a minor ground glass opacity component were associated with over a 38 percent higher rate of recurrence-free survival. For patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), new computed tomography (CT) research suggests the presence of minor ground glass opacity (GGO) component may indicate significantly less pathologic lymph node involvement and predict significantly improved five-year outcomes in comparison to those with pure solid lung nodules.”

Low-fat diets may help lower lung cancer risk, particularly in smokers
“The relationship between obesity and cancer is clear, and researchers have also been interested in investigating whether there is a similar link between diet and cancer risk. The role of smoking in causing lung cancer has been firmly established for decades but other lifestyle factors have received less attention. A large observational study of older adults in the United States has shown that a low-fat diet is associated with a lower risk of lung cancer, and a high-fat diet is associated with a higher risk of lung cancer in smokers.”

Double lung transplants weren’t typically recommended for lung cancer patients. But a new technique developed at Northwestern has been successful.
“For decades, double lung transplants were not considered a viable option for treating lung cancer. “It had been done, but it had always failed,” said Ankit Bharat, chief of thoracic surgery at Northwestern Medicine. “When you took out the lungs, the cancer cells would spread to the rest of the body, and it would come back a matter of months after the transplant.””

Lung cancer in Asian American women: Don’t be a statistic (never smoked)
“May is AANHPI Heritage Month so it’s a good time to share again my journey from nonsmoker to lung cancer survivor. It is such an important issue to bring awareness to this little-known and potentially deadly health disparity because, according to the 2020 census, 6.2 percent or 20.6 million people identify as AANHPI (Asian American Native Hawaiian Pacific Islander).”

Despite Progress, ADCs Still Stalled in Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer
“With antibody-drug conjugates well established in liquid tumors, companies are pivoting their focus to treating solid tumors, such as those of the breast, prostate and lung. If ADCs can be a viable treatment option for non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), which is particularly challenging given its resistance to chemotherapy and radiation, it could be a significant treatment advance with huge market potential.”

Datopotamab deruxtecan showed clinically meaningful overall survival improvement vs. chemotherapy in patients with advanced nonsquamous non-small cell lung cancer in TROPION-Lung01 Phase III trial
“High-level overall survival (OS) results from the TROPION-Lung01 Phase III trial, which previously met the dual primary endpoint of progression-free survival (PFS), numerically favoured datopotamab deruxtecan (Dato-DXd) compared to docetaxel in the overall trial population of patients with locally advanced or metastatic non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) treated with at least one prior line of therapy. Survival results did not reach statistical significance in the overall trial population. In the prespecified subgroup of patients with nonsquamous NSCLC, datopotamab deruxtecan showed a clinically meaningful improvement in OS compared to docetaxel, the current standard-of-care chemotherapy.”

What Should Be Done When a Patient’s Lung Cancer Screening Benefit Is ‘Marginal’?
“Patients with multimorbidity and limited life expectancy are often “unaware of their higher risk of downstream harm” when accepting lung cancer screening (LCS), according to new research.”

Nivolumab Betters Event-Free Survival vs Chemo in Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer
“The inclusion of perioperative nivolumab (Opdivo) to neoadjuvant chemotherapy delivered improvements in event-free survival (EFS) compared with chemotherapy alone in patients with resectable non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), according to findings from the phase 3 CheckMate 77T trial (NCT04025879).”

Atezolizumab/Cabozantinib vs Docetaxel in Previously Treated Metastatic NSCLC
“As reported in the Journal of Clinical Oncology by Joel Neal, MD, PhD, and colleagues, the phase III CONTACT-01 trial has shown no significant improvement in overall survival with the tyrosine kinase inhibitor atezolizumab (multiple targets, including MET, AXL, VEGFR2, RET, and FLT) plus the monoclonal antibody cabozantinib vs docetaxel after checkpoint inhibitor treatment and chemotherapy in patients with metastatic non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).”

ALINA Trial: Adjuvant Alectinib Improves Survival vs Platinum-Based Chemotherapy in ALK-Positive NSCLC
“As reported in The New England Journal of Medicine by Yi‑Long Wu, MD, of Guangdong Lung Cancer Institute, Guangdong Provincial People’s Hospital, and colleagues, the phase III ALINA trial has shown significantly improved disease-free survival with adjuvant alectinib vs platinum-based chemotherapy in patients with resected ALK-positive non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).”

ASCO Issues Updated Guidelines for Stage IV NSCLC With and Without Driver Alterations
“Given the number of identified health disparities, the guidelines emphasize clinician awareness of treatment challenges in different populations and suggest that both health-care providers and health care systems should strive for high-quality care for vulnerable populations.”

Body Composition Changes Linked to Poor NSCLC Outcomes
“Loss in skeletal muscle (SM) and changes in density of subcutaneous adipose tissue (SAT) in male patients and female patients, respectively, have now been linked to a greater likelihood of poor outcomes following chemoimmunotherapy for non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), according to findings from 3 studies published online today in JAMA Oncology.”

Affimed Announces Positive Early Efficacy and Progression Free Survival Results of AFM24-102 Study in EGFR Wild-Type Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer at the Annual Meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology 2024
“In 15 response-evaluable patients with metastatic EGFR wild-type NSCLC, who were pretreated with platinum doublet chemotherapy and checkpoint inhibitors, the combination of AFM24 and atezolizumab led to a disease control rate of 73.3% (11/15), including 4 objective responses (1 complete and 3 partial responses). As of the March 18, 2024 data cut-off, the median progression free survival was 5.9 months and 3 of 4 responses were ongoing.”

Study Finds Significant Inequalities in Lung Cancer Mortality in United States
““Our findings revealed significant lung cancer mortality inequalities in the [United States], based on demographic factors,” Dr. Soin and colleagues concluded. “By contextualizing these mortality shifts in the previous 22 years, our goal is to provide a larger framework of data-driven initiatives for societal and health policy changes for improving access to care, minimizing health care inequalities, and improving outcomes.””

Former cigarette smokers who vape more likely to get lung cancer: study
“Former cigarette smokers who vape are more likely to get lung cancer, warns new research. People who have stubbed out the habit but who use e-cigarettes or vaping devices are more likely to develop the deadly disease than those who don’t vape, according to the findings of the Korean study.”

Disparity of the Treatment of Unresectable Non-small Cell Lung Cancer Regarding Chemotherapy: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
“This study investigates disparities in chemotherapy treatment for unresectable non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) between urban and rural populations. Despite advancements in NSCLC treatments enhancing survival, significant inequities persist, notably in rural areas where access to care is often limited, resulting in poorer outcomes.”

Amgen’s Imdelltra granted FDA accelerated approval to treat small cell lung cancer
“The immunotherapy has been specifically authorised for use in adults with disease progression on or after platinum-based chemotherapy.”

Emerging Biomarkers and Tumor Heterogeneity Lead the Way in Lung Cancer
“Ongoing clinical trials in small cell lung cancer (SCLC) and non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) are fueling excitement in the oncology community with research efforts focusing on understanding the biology and heterogeneity of SCLC, and FDA approvals in 2024 in the NSCLC setting.”

Measuring Lung Function More Accurately and More Equitably
“Removing race from equations that estimate lung function will shift the categorization of disease severity across patient populations, moving more Black individuals into an advanced disease category, according to new research led by scientists at Harvard Medical School. At the same time, more white and Hispanic people would be reclassified as having less advanced illness.”

NVL-655 Receives FDA Breakthrough Therapy Designation in ALK+ NSCLC
“The FDA has granted breakthrough therapy designation to the investigational ALK-selective inhibitor NVL-655 as a treatment for patients with locally advanced or metastatic ALK-positive non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), according to a press release from the developers, Nuvalent, Inc. Specifically, the designation supports the use of NVL-655 in patients who have received at least 2 prior lines of ALK tyrosine kinase inhibitors.”

Dr Liu Previews ASCO 2024 Lung Cancer Data
“Stephen V. Liu, MD, associate professor, medicine, Georgetown University, director, Thoracic Oncology, head, Developmental Therapeutics, Georgetown Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center, discusses several studies being presented at the 2024 ASCO Annual Meeting that may provide valuable insights into the management of non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).”

Immunotherapy may boost survival after lung cancer surgery
“Immunotherapy can boost the survival of early-stage lung cancer patients eligible for surgery when it’s combined with chemotherapy, a new clinical trial reports. Those who got immunotherapy before and after surgery — along with pre-surgical chemo — had a 42% lower risk of cancer progression, recurrence or death than those who only received chemo, according to findings published Wednesday in the New England Journal of Medicine.”

Breaking bad blood: How rogue neutrophils help lung cancer spread
“Lung cancer remains a leading global health concern, responsible for the highest number of cancer-related deaths worldwide. Central to its development is the tumor microenvironment, which involves a complex interplay with immune cells such as neutrophils. Initially perceived as beneficial due to their anti-tumor activities in early cancer stages, neutrophils are now understood to play a dual role, potentially enhancing cancer metastasis under the influence of the tumor surroundings.”

Alectinib Approved as an Adjuvant Treatment for Lung Cancer
“Some people with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) that can be removed surgically should be treated afterward with the targeted therapy alectinib (Alecensa), results from a large clinical trial suggest. Participants in the ALINA trial had tumors with changes in the ALK gene, often called ALK-positive lung cancer. Those treated with alectinib after surgery lived longer without their cancer coming back than those treated with chemotherapy after surgery, the current standard treatment.”

Lifileucel Yields Responses in Metastatic Non–Small Cell Lung Cancer
“Treatment with the autologous tumor-infiltrating lymphocyte (TIL) cell therapy lifileucel (Amtagvi) produced responses in a small cohort of patients with heavily pretreated metastatic non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), including those with different mutational burdens and PD-L1 expression, according to findings from the phase 2 IOV-COM-202 study (NCT03645928) published in Cancer Discovery.”

Why do non-smoking Asian women have high rates of lung cancer? A UCSF study hopes to find out.
“A Bay Area-based study finds that 80% of Asian American women with lung cancer never smoked and researchers are trying to figure out why.”

Nivolumab/Chemoradiotherapy Regimen Misses PFS End Point in Unresectable, Locally Advanced NSCLC
“Treatment with nivolumab (Opdivo) plus concurrent chemoradiotherapy, followed by the combination of nivolumab and ipilimumab (Yervoy) did not improve progression-free survival (PFS) vs chemoradiotherapy followed by durvalumab (Imfinzi) in patients with unresectable, locally advanced, stage III non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), missing the primary end point of the phase 3 CheckMate73L trial (NCT04026412).”

A blood test to help detect lung cancer? New test offered at OSF Healthcare part of trend in medicine
“CHICAGO — Julie Harris had never been tested for lung cancer. A low-dose CT scan, the only recommended screening for adults at risk of developing lung cancer, was not something she’d ever found time to do. But when her primary care doctor recently suggested a new blood test to help look for signs of the disease, Harris was intrigued. She had her blood drawn the same day, in the same building as her doctor’s appointment.”

How the Immune System Affects Drug Response in Lung Cancer Patients
“Why do some lung cancer patients respond better to the types of drugs known as tyrosine kinase inhibitors? It may have to do with those patients’ own immune systems. That’s the hypothesis being tested by University of Colorado Cancer Center member Lynn Heasley, PhD, who recently received a Merit Review Award renewal from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to study the role of the immune system in patients with lung adenocarcinoma who are treated with tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs).”

FDA Grants Fast Track Designation to SNB-101 in Small Cell Lung Cancer
“The FDA has granted fast track designation to SNB-101, an anti-cancer agent derived from SN-38 as nanoparticles, as a treatment for patients with small cell lung cancer (SCLC), according to a press release from the developers, SN Bioscience.”

Exacerbations Predict Poor Outcomes in Lung Cancer Patients With Idiopathic Interstitial Pneumonia
“TAKEAWAY: The overall median survival rate for the entire study population was 9.9 months; patients with acute exacerbations had significantly worse survival than those without exacerbations at all time points (hazard ratios of 5.191, 2.351, 2.416, and 2.521 at 30, 60, 90, and 120 days, respectively). The incidence of acute exacerbation was greater in patients with non–small cell lung cancer than in those with small cell lung cancer (12.6% vs 4.2%; odds ratio, 3.316). Treatment regimens specifically for non–small cell lung cancer were significant independent predictors of acute exacerbations triggered by the therapies in a multivariate analysis (odds ratio, 3.316; P = .016).”

Study seeks to evaluate military exposures on veterans’ lung cancer risk
“Recruitment has begun for a national, multisite Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) study that seeks to expand lung cancer screening eligibility, reduce the time to lung cancer diagnosis, and increase veteran engagement.”

New study links gas stoves to child asthma, lung cancer and death
“A study led by Stanford researchers says nitrogen dioxide exposure from gas stoves could be responsible for an estimated 19,000 deaths per year.”

The Importance of Telling Your Cancer Story Honestly
“With this past April being proclaimed by the White House as National Cancer Prevention and Early Detection Month and with DNA Day on the 25th, it seemed like the perfect time to share my late wife’s hereditary cancer story with the White House. The White House has a “Share Your Story” button on the Cancer Moonshot page and I was going to make sure my wife’s cancer story and how her cancer could have been prevented was shared.”

Study Identifies Disparities in End-of-Life Care for Lung Cancer Patients
“Patients with lung cancer who were Asian/Pacific Islander, Black or Hispanic experienced a higher intensity of end-of-life care compared to white patients, according to a Northwestern Medicine population-based analysis published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology.”

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NU surgeons perform 1st double-lung transplant on Chicago police officer who had lung cancer, COVID

Maine lung cancer rates above national average, experts urge annual screenings

New Hope on the Horizon for Patients With SCLC
“Ariel Lopez-Chavez, MD, medical oncologist, director of precision medicine and developmental therapeutics at Allegheny Health Network Cancer Institute, discusses ongoing research in the small cell lung cancer (SCLC) space.”

Cancer Cases To Jump 77% by 2050, Report Says
“Cancer is a growing public health problem. It is the second-leading cause of death worldwide and is the leading or second-leading cause of death before age 70 in 112 countries. As the population ages and increases, the number of cancer cases will rise.”

Drug shows promise for starving out cancer cells
“Starving out tumor cells may be a promising therapy for treatment-resistant lung cancer, according to a new study published in Science Advances.”

Assumptions After a Lung Cancer Diagnosis
“After completing treatment for lung cancer and being told that I was in remission in 2020, I thought about how unique the respective journeys of patients with cancer could be. However, having never smoked, a lung cancer diagnosis was an unlikely, but common experience for many of us.”

Miniature ‘tumor farm’ may guide personalized lung cancer therapy
“Researchers developed a miniature “tumor farm” model that uses biopsied tumor cells to enable personalized, 3-D testing of the cells’ response to various lung cancer drugs.”

Reynolds Says Her Husband Benefited From Biomarker Testing
“Des Moines, Iowa — A bill Governor Reynolds has signed into law has connections to her husband’s lung cancer treatment. The law, which will go into effect July 1st, requires insurance plans to cover biomarker testing. The tests of blood or other genetic material helps doctors determine the best course of treatment for diseases like cancer. The governor’s husband, Kevin, was diagnosed with lung cancer last fall and had a biomarker test.”

Former Worker Program New Mexico Screening Expansion
“On June 5 & 6, the Office of Worker Screening and Compensation Programs is hosting two upcoming events to announce the expansion of the Department of Energy (DOE) Former Worker Medical Screening Program (FWP) for former workers at Los Alamos and Sandia National Laboratories. The event will celebrate the introduction of an early lung cancer screening program with low-dose CT scan for high-risk former DOE workers, as well as the increased availability of occupational medical screening evaluations to detect work-related diseases in all DOE former workers.”

UT Medical Center first in the South to use Cytalux, a drug that ‘lights up’ lung cancer cells
“KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — A hospital in East Tennessee is leading the way against one of the most common types of deadly cancer. The University of Tennessee Medical Center said lung cancer claims more lives in the state than any other cancer.”

Positive 5-Year Results for Gefitinib Combo in EGFR-Variant Lung Cancer
“At a median 5-year follow-up, patients with epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR)–variant non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) who added chemotherapy to gefitinib continued to have strong progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) compared with those treated with gefitinib alone, according to a research letter published in JAMA Oncology.”

American Lung Association getting Turquoise for Lung Cancer Action Week
“OMAHA – (May 1, 2024) – Next week, the American Lung Association is turning Nebraska turquoise to raise awareness of lung cancer and encourage residents to take action to end the disease. The Lung Association is also celebrating the 10th anniversary of LUNG FORCE, a nationwide movement to end lung cancer.”

Glecirasib may deliver ‘efficacy and tolerability advantages’ for KRAS-mutant lung cancer
“Nearly 50% of patients with pretreated, locally advanced non-small cell lung cancer harboring a KRAS G12C mutation responded to treatment with glecirasib, findings from a phase 2 study conducted in China showed.”

Moffitt Initiates Groundbreaking Clinical Trial with Oncolytic Virus for Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer
“TAMPA, Fla. — Moffitt Cancer Center has launched a pioneering clinical trial for patients with late-stage non-small cell lung cancer whose disease has progressed following initial frontline standard of care immunotherapy that includes an immune checkpoint inhibitor alone or combined with chemotherapy. The innovative trial uses a novel oncolytic virus, MEM-288, in combination with the immune checkpoint inhibitor nivolumab.”

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Exploring Optimal Treatment for Patients With STK-11– and KEAP-1–Mutated Lung Cancer