Lung Cancer Weekly News

“State of Lung Cancer” Report Shows Need for Increased Screening Leading to Early Detection
“The American Lung Association’s 2024 “State of Lung Cancer” report ranks Florida 17 out of 47 surveyed states for survival of lung cancer at 29.1%. The report also shows a 25.3% early diagnoses rate in the state. Specialists at Moffitt Cancer Center continue to emphasize the importance of screening for those at risk. “Despite the remarkable advances we have made in treating advanced-stage lung cancer with immunotherapy, targeted agents, tumor-infiltrating lymphocyte therapy and other innovative approaches, the most effective way of significantly increasing the cure rate of lung cancer is finding it early, when it is confined to the lung and potentially curable,” Lary Robinson, MD, director of Moffitt’s Lung Cancer Early Detection Center said.

New Report Reveals South Dakota Among Best in Nation for Early Diagnosed Lung Cancer Cases American Lung Association’s ‘State of Lung Cancer’ report examines lung cancer in South Dakota
“SIOUX FALLS – The American Lung Association released its 2024 “State of Lung Cancer” report, which examines key indicators to highlight how the toll of lung cancer varies by state. Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer deaths in South Dakota and across the U.S., but the report reveals positive news. The report finds South Dakota is ranked 10th in the nation for cases of lung cancer diagnosed at an early stage.”

Obesity-Specific improvement of lung cancer outcomes and immunotherapy efficacy with metformin
“Conclusions: Metformin may improve lung cancer-specific clinical outcomes in obese and overweight lung cancer patients and enhance immunotherapy efficacy in this growing population as well. This work identifies obesity as a potential predictive biomarker of metformin’s anticancer and immunotherapy-enhancing properties in lung cancer while shedding light on the underlying immunological phenomena.”

New Research Sheds Light on a Surprising Connection Between COVID-19 and Cancer Regression
“A new Northwestern Medicine study published in The Journal of Clinical Investigation has revealed a connection between COVID-19 infection and cancer regression. The team’s discovery could pave the way for novel cancer treatments.”

FDA Approves Companion Diagnostic for Tepotinib in mNSCLC Harboring MET Exon 14 Skipping Alterations
“Key Takeaways: FoundationOne Liquid CDx is approved to identify mNSCLC patients with MET exon 14 skipping alterations for tepotinib treatment. The VISION trial demonstrated tepotinib’s efficacy, with notable overall response rates and progression-free survival in mNSCLC patients.”

State of Lung Cancer
“States must do more to protect their residents from lung cancer.”

‘Troubling’ data show lack of awareness about lung cancer screening
“Key takeaways: Over 80% of people at high risk for lung cancer were unaware of screening or had not discussed it with a doctor. Informational interventions in clinics and communities could improve screening awareness.”

AstraZeneca and Daiichi Sankyo submit BLA to FDA for lung cancer treatment “AstraZeneca and Daiichi Sankyo have submitted a new biologics license application (BLA) to the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) seeking accelerated approval for datopotamab deruxtecan (Dato-DXd) to treat non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).”

New Cancer Vaccine May Boost Immunotherapy in Treating Lung Cancer
“Non-small cell lung cancer is the most common type of lung cancer, accounting for about 85% of cases. While treatment advances have improved outcomes for some patients, advanced non-small cell lung cancer remains challenging to treat, especially when tumors have high levels of PD-L1, a protein that helps cancer evade immune defenses. Traditional chemotherapy approaches can have significant side effects, but newer immunotherapy treatments like pembrolizumab, which boosts the immune system’s ability to target and destroy cancer cells, have proved beneficial. However, they may not work for every patient.”

Single-fraction SBRT confers ‘surprisingly excellent’ outcomes for central lung tumors
“Key takeaways: Patients with central lung tumors treated with single-fraction radiation did not experience any grade 3 or higher adverse events. The approach resulted in local disease control for most trial participants.”

Less Than 1 In 5 Americans Who Are Eligible Are Getting Screened For Lung Cancer. Here’s Why
“Less than 20% (19.6%) of Americans who are eligible to get screened for lung cancer are getting the test they need, according to research published in JAMA Network Open. This is in stark contrast to 70-75% of Americans that get screened for other cancers through tests such as mammograms for breast cancer or colonoscopies for colon cancer.”

Detecting Evidence of Lung Cancer in Exhaled Breath
“Exhaled breath contains chemical clues to what’s going on inside the body, including diseases like lung cancer. And devising ways to sense these compounds could help doctors provide early diagnoses — and improve patients’ prospects. In a study in ACS Sensors, researchers report developing ultrasensitive, nanoscale sensors that in small-scale tests distinguished a key change in the chemistry of the breath of people with lung cancer.”

Rest and Recuperation After a Cancer Diagnosis and Treatment
“Key Takeaways: Rest and recuperation are essential after cancer treatment, even when remission is achieved, to prevent health issues. The COVID-19 pandemic added stress and responsibilities, complicating recovery for cancer survivors.”

Largest ever UK study reveals stark ethnic and social inequalities in lung cancer diagnosis
“The most comprehensive study ever conducted of lung cancer diagnosis in England has revealed significant disparities between ethnic groups and striking evidence that people living in the most deprived areas were diagnosed with lung cancer at twice the rate of those in affluent areas.”

Thousands of lung cancer cases detected in lorry clinics
“A lung-cancer screening programme that sees mobile clinics visit local communities in England has detected the disease earlier in more than 5,000 people. Specially adapted lorries have been visiting supermarkets, football grounds and town centres in areas with the highest rates of the disease, as part of the biggest initiative of its kind in NHS history.”

Researchers Find Lack of Communication for Lung Cancer Screenings Among High-Risk Individuals
“Less than 16% of high-risk lung cancer individuals have heard or discussed lung cancer screenings with a health care provider.”

Lung Cancer Awareness Month 2024
“Lung cancer is the most common cancer type and the most common cause of cancer death in the world. The most recent global estimates from the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) indicate that in 2022 almost 2.5 million people were diagnosed with lung cancer and more than 1.8 million people died from the disease. Lung cancer causes more than twice as many deaths as colorectal cancer, which is the second most common cause of cancer death.”

“It Saved My Life:” Why Biomarker Testing is Vital
“John shares the story of his lung cancer diagnosis and how biomarker testing made all the difference.”

With smoking rates declining, so too are lung cancer deaths. For nonsmokers, the numbers tell a different story.
“November is Lung Cancer Awareness Month, which brings both good news and bad. On the one hand, overall rates of the disease — and deaths from it — have declined precipitously as smoking rates have plummeted. But, on the other hand, diagnoses are climbing among people who have never smoked.”

Circulating Tumor DNA Presence Associated With Consolidation Immunotherapy Outcomes in NSCLC
“For patients with inoperable stage III non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), measuring circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) may help personalize the duration of consolidation immunotherapy, according to a recent analysis published in the Journal of Thoracic Oncology.”

Perioperative Chemoimmunotherapy Shows Long-Term Benefits in Lung Cancer
“Key Takeaways – Chemoimmunotherapy shows promising long-term benefits for resectable NSCLC, with 65% five-year progression-free survival and 69.3% overall survival. Protocol adherence significantly improves outcomes, with 75.4% progression-free survival and 78% overall survival in the per-protocol group.”

New lung cancer screening initiative looks to increase access to care
“Key Takeaways  – The initiative targets low-income, uninsured, and minority populations to reduce lung cancer disparities through bilingual support and no-cost screenings. Over 700 eligible patients were identified, with 83% completing low-dose CT scans, showing no significant differences across demographics.”

Merck, Moderna Launch Phase III Trial of V940 in Combination with Keytruda for Resectable Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer
“Merck and Moderna announced the beginning of the Phase III INTerpath-009 trial for V940 (mRNA-4157) in combination with Keytruda (pembrolizumab) as an adjuvant treatment for patients with resectable non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) who did not achieve a pathological complete response (pCR) after neoadjuvant Keytruda plus chemotherapy. According to Moderna, global recruitment has begun, with the first patients being recruited in Canada.”

Scripps Cancer Center to Host Lung Cancer Screening Education Event on Nov. 8
“SAN DIEGO, Oct. 28, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — November is lung cancer awareness month and Scripps Cancer Center invites San Diego County residents to learn about lung cancer screening at a free educational event on Friday, Nov. 8 from 9 a.m. to 12 noon at Scripps Medical Center Jefferson in Oceanside, Calif.”

UC Davis Health Hosts Lung Cancer Screening Nov. 9
“Lung Cancer Screening Day – UC Davis Health is making it easier to get screened. The UC Davis Department of Radiology is taking part in national Lung Cancer Screening Day. It is setting aside all day on Saturday, Nov. 9, to offer low-dose CT scans. Additional screening appointments are available Nov. 3 – 8.”

Lessening My Apprehension Using Meditation During Lung Cancer
“Key Takeaways – Mindfulness and meditation helped manage anxiety, replacing negative emotions with peace through techniques like deep breathing and visualization. Empathetic environments, journaling, and staying active contributed to emotional well-being and a positive outlook.

Moffitt unveils new mobile lung cancer screening unit
“TAMPA – Moffitt Cancer Center unveiled its new mobile lung cancer screening unit Friday, with a goal to save thousands of lives in Florida. The unit is equipped with a state-of-the-art, low-radiation CT scanner. Eligible patients must be at least 50-years-old, a current or former smoker with a long history of smoking, and currently have no obvious signs of lung cancer.”

Performance in physical tests can help manage treatment for metastatic lung cancer
“A study of patients with metastatic lung cancer by researchers based in Brazil and the United States has found that their performance in simple physical tests such as sitting down, standing and walking can help physicians arrive at a prognosis and approach to treatment.”

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Monitoring Treatment With Different Types of Biopsies in Lung Cancer
“Key Takeaways – Liquid biopsy offers a less invasive method to detect resistance mechanisms by analyzing tumor DNA fragments in blood. Tissue biopsy, though more invasive, provides comprehensive insights into tumor biology, including protein expression and other markers.”

Radon Action Week: How you can test your home

Roche’s Alecensa receives NICE recommendation to treat ALK-positive lung cancer
“Just under 100 non-small cell lung cancer patients in England will be eligible for the drug”

FDA Presses Clinical Hold Button For BioNTech’s Partner Late-Stage Trial Of Investigational Lung Cancer Treatment
“BioNTech SE (NASDAQ:BNTX) has been notified by its partner, OncoC4 Inc., that the FDA has imposed a partial clinical hold on its Phase 3 PRESERVE-003 trial. The open-label, randomized study evaluates BNT316/ONC-392 (gotistobart) as a monotherapy in patients with metastatic non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) who have previously progressed after PD-(L)1-inhibitor treatment.”

Complete Consolidative Radiotherapy May Have Survival Benefits in ES-SCLC
“Compared with incomplete consolidative radiotherapy, complete consolidative radiotherapy generally improved progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) among patients with extensive-stage small cell lung cancer (ES-SCLC), according to James Ninia, MD.”

How Oral Azole Use Affects Immune Checkpoint Inhibitor Therapy for NSCLC
“Multivariable analysis indicated clotrimazole was the only individual azole identified to show an association with improved OS. Multivariable analysis also showed improved OS with using more than 1 azole and worse OS with miconazole.”

Estimating Costs Associated with Adverse Events in Patients with Advanced Lung Cancer
“Conclusion: Costs associated with AEs in advanced lung cancer patients treated with first-line therapies were substantial. These estimates could be adopted for future cost-effectiveness analyses of new lung cancer treatments.”

Understanding how deadly lung cancers control the local immune system
“Northwestern Medicine scientists have discovered how a protein in a deadly type of lung cancer can control how the immune system responds to the tumor, according to a study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.”

Complete Response to Immunotherapy in Stage IV Lung Cancer
“A case report highlights a 51-year-old man with stage IV non-small cell lung cancer and brain metastasis who received whole brain radiotherapy followed by immune checkpoint inhibitor treatment. The patient achieved complete response, with overall survival at 87 months and progression-free survival at 73 months, maintaining quality of life.”

New tool predicts risk of lung cancer’s spread to brain
“In a new study published in Nature Medicine UHN researchers have identified specific DNA changes that can predict a patient’s risk of cancer spreading to the brain, offering new approaches to managing patients and improving health outcomes.”

Novacure’s Wearable Lung Cancer Treatment Device, Optune Lua, Receives FDA Approval
“The FDA has granted approval for Novocure‘s wearable medical device, Optune Lua, designed to treat advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). The device utilizes portable transducer arrays placed on the skin to deliver alternating electrical fields, termed Tumor Treating Fields (TTFs), thereby disrupting malignant cell division while leaving healthy cells largely unaffected.”

First-line maintenance regimen improves OS, PFS in extensive-stage small cell lung cancer
“The addition of lurbinectedin to atezolizumab improved survival for certain adults with lung cancer, according to the agent’s manufacturer. Lurbinectedin (Zepzelca; Jazz Pharmaceuticals, PharmaMar) is an RNA polymerase II inhibitor. Atezolizumab (Tecentriq, Genentech) is an anti-PD-L1 antibody.”

Obesity and survival in advanced non-small cell lung cancer patients treated with chemotherapy, immunotherapy, or chemoimmunotherapy: a multicenter cohort study
“Obesity may be associated with an increased overall survival among male patients treated with chemotherapy, whereas not associated with the outcomes in patients treated with immunotherapy or chemoimmunotherapy.”

Chemo Plus Immunotherapy Benefits Subset of Lung Cancer Patients
“Researchers from The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center have demonstrated that patients with metastatic non-squamous non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) harboring specific mutations in the STK11 and/or KEAP1 tumor suppressor genes were more likely to benefit from adding the immunotherapy tremelimumab to a combination of durvalumab plus chemotherapy to overcome treatment resistance typically seen in this patient population.”

Impact of Air Pollution on Lung Health Sparks Call for Physician-Led Action at CHEST 2024
“Experts explored the impact of climate change in the chest medicine space through numerous sessions and posters at the CHEST 2024 annual meeting in Boston, Massachusetts, last week. The topic was first introduced during the keynote address, “The Climate and Health Pandemic,” delivered by Vanessa Kerry, MD, MSc, director of global and climate health policy in the Department of Environmental Health at the Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health.1 She discussed various effects of climate change, calling on clinicians to recognize these threats and implement sustainable practices to mitigate them.”

ACS Guidelines Expand Lung Cancer Screening Eligibility — Is That a Good Thing?
“BOSTON — Whether low-dose CT screening for lung cancer should be expanded to include people who quit smoking more than 15 years ago, as the American Cancer Society (ACS) now recommends, was the topic of much debate here.”

Neural network models help predict immunotherapy efficacy in small cell lung cancer
“As immunotherapy makes breakthrough progress in the treatment of small cell lung cancer (SCLC), predicting treatment outcomes has become a focal point in clinical practice. Immunotherapy combined with chemotherapy has been approved as first-line therapy for small cell lung cancer due to its survival benefit in randomized controlled trials. However, predicting its efficacy remains a challenge in the absence of currently available biomarkers.”

Frontline EGFR/VEGF Inhibition Slows Advanced EGFR-Positive Lung Cancer
“Adding the VEGF inhibitor ramucirumab (Cyramza) to the EGFR inhibitor osimertinib (Tagrisso) slowed progression of untreated EGFR-positive non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) by 9 months compared with osimertinib alone, an interim analysis of the randomized RAMOSE trial showed.”

Fox Chase Cancer Center Researchers Find Gene That Triggers Immune Response in Treatment-Resistant Small-Cell Lung Cancer
“PHILADELPHIA (October 10, 2024) — TREX1, a gene previously associated with autoimmune diseases, has been linked to small cell lung cancer. The discovery by Fox Chase Cancer Center scientists is a step toward understanding why this aggressive cancer is so resistant to treatment. The findings are significant because they identify a pathway that could be targeted to make small cell lung cancer immunogenic, a quality that produces an immune response from the body. This could make the pathway sensitive to chemotherapy and immunotherapy.”

New approach enhances radiation treatment for lung cancer brain metastases
“In new research, a team led by University of Cincinnati researchers has identified a potential new way to make radiation more effective and improve outcomes for patients with lung cancer that has spread to the brain.”

FDA Approves Nivolumab for the Treatment of Adult Patients With Resectable NSCLC
“The FDA has approved nivolumab (Opdivo; Bristol Myers Squibb) for the treatment of adult patients with resectable (tumors ≥4 cm or node positive) non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) with no known epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutations or anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) rearrangements, for neoadjuvant treatment in combination with platinum-doublet chemotherapy, followed by single-agent nivolumab as adjuvant treatment after surgery (or perioperative therapy). The approval comes after results from the phase 3 CheckMate-77T trial (NCT04025879).”

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Early Biomarker Testing Key for Perioperative NSCLC Success
“Ticiana Leal, MD, Winship Cancer Institutes, explains the importance of biomarker testing and multidisciplinary conversations while caring for patients with early-stage non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).”

Goals of Therapy and Considerations for Treatment Sequencing in Extensive Stage Small Cell Lung Cancer
“Ticiana Leal, MD, discusses how in cases of extensive stage small cell lung cancer (ES-SCLC) that progress within 6 months of platinum-based chemotherapy, treatment options such as tarlatamab, lurbinectedin, topotecan, and irinotecan should be considered, alongside the potential to extend chemoimmunotherapy cycles. She also addresses the impact of National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) guidelines and the consideration of prophylactic cranial irradiation (PCI) despite negative brain imaging results.”

After wife dies from non-smoking lung cancer, Utah man urges all to test for radon
“Rachel Smith was a NICU nurse who took care of some of the most vulnerable lives possible until she received her own life-changing diagnosis—non-smoking lung cancer. An avid gym-goer and mom of two, Rachel was the pinnacle of health before she came down with a cough that wouldn’t let up. After a visit to the emergency room and a pneumonia diagnosis, tests revealed her body was fighting lung cancer at just 32 years old.”

Quality Improvements in Lung Cancer Surgery and Tumor Pathology May Extend Survival Postsurgery
““Over the past 15 years, a quality improvement initiative in the heart of the Mississippi Delta has made stepped progress to change the status quo for lung cancer outcomes in this high-risk population. Their consistent efforts led the 120-day mortality rate after surgery to be cut in half and improvements in both 3- and 5-year overall survival,” emphasized Fumiko Chino, MD, a radiation oncologist at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston.”

New Mount Sinai Research Brings Hope for Small Cell Lung Cancer Patients
“New York, NY (September 30, 2024)  Researchers at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai have made a promising breakthrough in the treatment of small cell lung cancer (SCLC). Their study, published in Science Advances, on September 27 and titled “ATR Inhibition Activates Cancer Cell cGAS/STING-Interferon Signaling and Promotes Anti-Tumor Immunity in Small Cell Lung Cancer,” presents an exciting new approach that offers hope to patients with this challenging disease.”

The impact of family cancer history on tumor metabolism and prognosis in patients with non-small cell lung cancer
“Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is a leading cause of cancer-related mortality, and the role of family cancer history in disease progression and treatment response remains underexplored. This study aims to investigate the influence of family tumor history on disease-free survival, tumor metabolism, and treatment response in NSCLC patients.”

Trial shows timing matters when adding immunotherapy to chemoradiation for limited-stage small cell lung cancer
“People with limited-stage small cell lung cancer may benefit from adding immunotherapy to chemoradiation, but not if both treatments are given at the same time, new research finds. The results suggest that the timing of when immunotherapy is given plays a key role in its ability to extend survival.”

Survival of lung cancer patients according to screening eligibility using Korean Lung Cancer Registry 2014–2016
“This study assessed survival for lung cancer patients meeting criteria for the National Lung Cancer Screening Program in Korea launched in 2019 and updated guideline reported by the US Preventive Service Task Force (USPSTF).”

J&J lung cancer drug combo had superior progression-free survival in study
“Patients who took Johnson & Johnson (NYSE:JNJ) drugs Rybrevant and Leclaza in combination to treat EGFR-mutated non-small cell lung cancer had a longer progression-free survival period than those who took AstraZeneca’s (AZN) Tagrisso, according to a new study.”

American Lung Association Campaign Aims to Address Lack of Diversity in Clinical Trials, Improve Lung Cancer Care for Hispanic Individuals
“CHICAGO, Sept. 26, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — In the past decade, clinical trials have contributed to rapidly advancing research, which has led to more individuals living with lung cancer exceeding the five-year survival rate than ever before. Unfortunately, this progress has not been shared equally amongst the populations facing high lung cancer burdens. That’s why the American Lung Association is expanding its work through the Awareness, Trust and Action program to educate Hispanic individuals about clinical trials and encourage them to speak with their healthcare provider about their treatment options.”

FDA approves osimertinib for locally advanced, unresectable (stage III) non-small cell lung cancer following chemoradiation therapy
“On September 25, 2024, the Food and Drug Administration approved osimertinib (Tagrisso, AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals) for adult patients with locally advanced, unresectable (stage III) non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) whose disease has not progressed during or following concurrent or sequential platinum-based chemoradiation therapy and whose tumors have EGFR exon 19 deletions or exon 21 L858R mutations, as detected by an FDA-approved test.”

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Advancing Lung Cancer Screening: Detection and Management of Early-Stage Lung Cancer
“Tune in to this expert-led, on-demand video for a discussion on the latest recommendations, guidelines, and best practices related to lung cancer screening, and management of early-stage disease. Insights from previous peer-to-peer discussions on lung cancer screening barriers across primary care clinics will also be discussed.”

Expectations concerning cancer treatment: perspectives of medical oncologists and patients on advanced, unresectable lung carcinoma
“Introduction. This study seeks to compare expectations regarding systemic cancer treatment for advanced lung cancer from the perspectives of both patient and medical oncologist. A cross-sectional study involving 17 medical oncologists from 13 Spanish hospitals between 2021 and 2022. Patients with advanced, unresectable lung cancer were recruited prior to initiating systemic cancer treatment.”

First-Line Serplulimab Receives Positive CHMP Opinion for ES-SCLC
“The European Medicines Agency’s Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use (CHMP) has issued a positive opinion recommending the approval of serplulimab (Hansizhuang) for the first-line treatment of patients with extensive-stage small cell lung cancer (ES-SCLC).”

PM2.5 Exposure May Increase Lung Cancer Risk in Women Who Have Never Smoked
“Lung cancer has long been associated with smoking, but recent studies suggest that air pollution, particularly exposure to fine particulate matter (PM2.5), may play a significant role in the development of lung cancer in women who have never smoked. A study presented at the International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer (IASLC) 2024 World Conference highlights this emerging risk, drawing attention to a potential link between PM2.5 exposure and advanced-stage lung cancer diagnoses, especially in women with certain genetic mutations.”

FDA Approves Amivantamab Plus Carboplatin, Pemetrexed For Certain Patients With NSCLC
“The US Food and Drug Administration has approved amivantamab-vmjw (Rybrevant, Janssen Biotech, Inc.) plus carboplatin and pemetrexed for adults with locally advanced or metastatic non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) with EGFR exon 19 deletions or exon 21 L858R substitution mutations. The approval is for patients whose disease has progressed on or after treatment with an EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitor.”

New Cancer Cachexia Treatment Boosts Weight Gain and Patient Activity
“Researchers discovered a drug that safely and effectively helped cancer patients when they suffered from cachexia (ku-KEK-see-uh), a common condition related to cancer that involves weight loss and muscle wasting. The results of the randomized phase 2 clinical trial, which included 187 individuals who experienced cachexia with lung, pancreatic, or colorectal cancer, were reported in the New England Journal of Medicine on Sept. 14, 2024.”

New Mount Sinai Study Reveals Disparities in Lung Cancer Testing
“New York, NY (September 18, 2024)  A new Mount Sinai study published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute on September 10, 2024, has found that people with lung cancer face big differences in getting important tests based on their race and income.”

SLU Researchers Identify Sex-Based Differences in Immune Responses Against Tumors
“Researchers at Saint Louis University School of Medicine investigated differences in T-cell responses between male and female patients with lung cancer that may help direct future treatments. T-cell responses are part of the adaptive immune system, part of the body’s “smart system” that monitors for threats and fights them with customized defenses.”

Taletrectinib shows high response rates and safety in ROS1+ lung cancer patients
“The ROS1 tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) taletrectinib demonstrated high overall and intracranial responses, and a favorable safety profile with low incidence of neurologic adverse events in TKI-naive and TKI-pretreated patients with ROS1+ non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).”

Patritumab Deruxtecan Demonstrated Statistically Significant Improvement in Progression-Free Survival Versus Doublet Chemotherapy in Patients with Locally Advanced or Metastatic EGFR-Mutated Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer in HERTHENA-Lung02 Phase 3 Trial
“BASKING RIDGE, N.J. & RAHWAY, N.J., September 17, 2024 – The HERTHENA-Lung02 phase 3 trial evaluating patritumab deruxtecan in patients with locally advanced or metastatic EGFR-mutated non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) who received prior EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) treatment met its primary endpoint of progression-free survival (PFS), demonstrating a statistically significant improvement versus platinum plus pemetrexed induction chemotherapy followed by pemetrexed maintenance chemotherapy. Overall survival (OS) data were immature at the time of the analysis and the trial will continue to further assess OS, a secondary endpoint.”

Early, virtual palliative care feasible for advanced lung cancer
“The delivery of early, virtual palliative care has similar effects on quality of life as in-person care in patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), according to a study published online Sept. 11 in the Journal of the American Medical Association.”

Hospitals begin offering breakthrough radiation therapy for metastatic cancer tumors
“Radiation is part of treatment for about half of cancer patients, yet many types of radiation therapy don’t reach all parts of the body, according to the American Cancer Society. Now a scientific breakthrough could change the future of the treatment and open up the option for others who may not have been able to get it.”

Perioperative Nivolumab Shows EFS Benefit vs Placebo in Resectable NSCLC
“Perioperative nivolumab (Opdivo) continued to display an event-free survival (EFS) benefit compared with placebo in patients with resectable non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), according to findings from an updated analysis of the phase 3 CheckMate 77T study (NCT04025879).”

GSK, iTeos lung cancer therapy outperforms Jemperli in mid-stage trial
“iTeos Therapeutics (NASDAQ:ITOS) announced Saturday that its experimental cancer doublet therapy developed with GSK (NYSE:GSK) outperformed the British drugmaker’s FDA-approved anti-PD-1 therapy dostarlimab, branded as Jemperli, in a mid-stage trial.

Rybrevant Plus Chemo Results in Superior Outcomes in EGFR-Mutant Advanced NSCLC
“Promising overall survival (OS) trends continued after longer follow-up with Rybrevant (amivantamab) plus chemotherapy vs chemotherapy alone in EGFR-mutant advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) whose disease progressed on Tagrisso (osimertinib), according to findings from the second interim analysis of the MARIPOSA-2 trial.”

Clinical Benefit Improves With Relatlimab Combo in Recurrent NSCLC
“Clinical benefit improved among patients with stage IV or recurrent non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) who received relatlimab-rmbw plus nivolumab (Opdualag) plus chemotherapy vs those who were treated with nivolumab/chemotherapy only, according to data from the phase 2 RELATIVITY-104 study (NCT04623775) presented at the 2024 European Society for Medical Oncology Congress (ESMO).”

Zipalertinib Shows Promise in Heavily Pretreated EGFR Exon 20-Mutated NSCLC
“Treatment with zipalertinib appeared to be well tolerated with a manageable safety profile in heavily pretreated patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) harboring EGFR exon 20 insertion mutations who progressed on or after amivantamab (Rybrevant), according to data from module C of the phase 2b REZILIENT1 trial (NCT04036682) presented at ESMO Congress 2024.”

No DFS Benefit Seen With Adjuvant Durvalumab Across NSCLC PD-L1 Subgroups
“Disease-free survival (DFS) did not improve when adjuvant durvalumab (Imfinzi) was administered following complete resection and optional chemotherapy compared with placebo in patients with EGFR- or ALK-negative non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), regardless of PD-L1 expression, according to results from the phase 3 BR.31 trial (NCT02273375) presented at the 2024 European Society of Medical Oncology (ESMO) Congress.”

Detecting Small Cell Transformation in Patients with Advanced EGFR Mutant Lung Adenocarcinoma through Epigenomic cfDNA Profiling
“Histologic transformation to small cell lung cancer (SCLC) is a mechanism of treatment resistance in patients with advanced oncogene-driven lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) that currently requires histologic review for diagnosis. Herein, we sought to develop an epigenomic cell-free DNA (cfDNA)-based approach to noninvasively detect small cell transformation in patients with EGFR mutant (EGFRm) LUAD.”

Adjuvant Chemotherapy May Have Survival Benefit in Stage III Locally Advanced NSCLC
“Favorable recurrence-free survival and overall survival outcomes were not observed in the overall patient cohort receiving adjuvant chemotherapy for advanced NSCLC.”

Incidence of and predictive factors for lung cancer in patients with rheumatoid arthritis: A retrospective long-term follow-up study
“Close monitoring of lung cancer is needed for RA patients with smoking history and pulmonary complications, especially CPFE.”

Triplet Therapy Shows Promise in Advanced Lung Cancer
“A combination of an antibody-drug conjugate, immune checkpoint inhibitor and chemotherapy is showing promise for patients with metastatic non-small cell lung cancer. Results from the phase 2 EVOKE-02 study will be presented at the 2024 World Conference on Lung Cancer.”

Lung Cancer Cases Rising in Young Women of Asian and Latina Descent: What You Need to Know
“In the past 25 years, cases of lung cancer have been rising among people without previous tobacco use. These cancer cases are approximately 2.5 times more likely to be found in women than in men. These women tend to be younger, and cases are rising more rapidly in people of Asian or Hispanic/Latina descent.”

TGF-Beta and RAS Signaling Are Both Required for Lung Cancer Metastasis, Study Finds
“When it comes to cancer metastasis, it takes two to tango. That was one of the key findings of a new study led by researchers at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSK): The TGF-beta and RAS signaling pathways work together to spur the spread of cancer in lung adenocarcinoma, a leading cause of cancer deaths around the world. Take away one of those two signals, and lung cancer will not be able to spread (metastasize) to new parts of the body, their findings in animal models suggest.”

Ifinatamab Deruxtecan Continues to Demonstrate Promising Objective Response Rates in Patients with Extensive-Stage Small Cell Lung Cancer in IDeate-Lung01 Phase 2 Trial
“Objective response rate of 54.8% seen with Daiichi Sankyo and Merck’s ifinatamab deruxtecan at 12 mg/kg dose in pretreated patients. 12 mg/kg selected as optimal dose for extension part of IDeate-Lung01 phase 2 trial and recently initiated IDeate-Lung02 phase 3 study.”

Survey reveals progress and persistent barriers in lung cancer biomarker testing
“Despite significant improvements in the perception of biomarker testing compared to a 2018 survey, substantial barriers to implementation persist globally, according to results of the 2024 IASLC Global Survey on Biomarker Testing released today at the International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer (IASLC) World Conference on Lung Cancer 2024.”

Summit lung cancer drug shows ‘striking’ benefit over Keytruda
“An experimental medicine from a small biotechnology company cut the risk of lung cancer progression in half when tested against the world’s most dominant immunotherapy in a clinical trial, according to study data presented Sunday at a major medical meeting. The results come from a Phase 3 trial pitting a drug from biotech Summit Therapeutics against Merck & Co.’s Keytruda in people recently diagnosed with advanced non-small cell lung cancer. Data show Summit’s drug held tumors at bay for a median of just over 11 months, compared to almost six months for those given Keytruda. The 5.3-month difference in progression-free survival equated to a statistically significant 49% reduction in the risk of cancer progression or death.”

Deep Learning Models Expedite Biomarker Discovery, Detection in Lung Cancer
“In the first,1 investigators from China found a high degree of accuracy for detecting biomarkers using whole slide images (WSIs) obtained from lymph node biopsies. In the second,2 researchers from Australia analyzed the tumor and its microenvironment (TME) across patients who did or did not respond to checkpoint inhibitor therapy, which detected distinct metabolic patterns of response for immunotherapy.”

AstraZeneca says lung cancer drug trial shows no significant improvement in overall survival
“LONDON, Sept 9 (Reuters) – Detailed results from one of AstraZeneca’s (AZN.L), opens new tab key lung cancer trials released on Monday showed that its experimental precision drug did not significantly improve overall survival results for patients in the trial. The overall survival, or OS rates, in the TROPION-Lung01 trial “did not reach statistical significance”, the company said in a presentation at the World Conference on Lung Cancer in San Diego.”