Lung Cancer

The acceptance of next-generation sequencing (NGS) platforms and cell-free DNA (cfDNA) have enabled oncologists to more specifically target genetic mutations in the treatment of patients with non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), according to Benjamin P. Levy, MD.

Because of the risk for developing secondary malignancies, and given the association between smoking and cancer, all patients who smoke should be counseled about quitting, according to Linda Sarna, PhD, RN, FAAN.

The PD-1 inhibitor pembrolizumab (Keytruda) has shown an overall survival advantage across 3 phase III clinical trials studying its use in patients with metastatic non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). These positive results led to a frontline indication as a single agent and in combination with chemotherapy for both patients with squamous and nonsquamous NSCLC.

Choosing frontline therapy for patients with metastatic non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) who do not harbor an actionable driver oncogene depends upon PD-L1 expression level and histology, according to Gregory J. Riely, MD, PhD.

Scientists, physicians and patients collaborate to improve treatment for rare cancer.

Frontline alectinib (Alecensa), a next-generation tyrosine kinase inhibitor, enabled Asian patients with untreated ALK-positive advanced non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) to live significantly longer without disease progression compared with those who were treated with crizotinib (Xalkori) as initial therapy.

The FDA has granted lorlatinib (Lorbrena) an accelerated approval for the treatment of patients with ALK-positive metastatic non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) who have progressed on 1 or more ALK tyrosine kinases inhibitors (TKIs).

The FDA has approved pembrolizumab (Keytruda) for first-line use in combination with carboplatin and either paclitaxel or nab-paclitaxel (Abraxane) for the treatment of patients with metastatic squamous non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).

The FDA has added 3 months to the review period for

Durvalumab (Imfinzi) induced a clinically meaningful improvement in overall survival (OS) compared with placebo in patients with stage III, unresectable non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) who have not progressed following chemoradiotherapy.

In a recent survey, lung cancer survivors reported long-term symptoms, including shortness of breath, fatigue, short-term memory, and anxiety.

Brigatinib (Alunbrig) reduced the risk of disease progression or death by more than 50% compared to crizotinib (Xalkori) in adult patients with ALK-positive, locally advanced or metastatic non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) who had not received a prior ALK inhibitor.

The FDA has approved the pan-human EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) dacomitinib (Vizimpro) for treatment of patients with metastatic non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) with EGFR exon 19 deletion or exon 21 L858R substitution mutations in the frontline setting.

In combination with the standard front-line chemotherapy regimen of carboplatin and etoposide, the addition of atezolizumab (Tecentriq) significantly prolonged survival in patients with extensive-stage small cell lung cancer (ES-SCLC).

The Society for Immunotherapy of Cancer (SITC) announced a new partnership to raise awareness of and participation in the Lung Cancer Registry, an initiative led by research and patient advocacy organizations, the Bonnie J. Addario Lung Cancer Foundation (ALCF), American Lung Association’s LUNG FORCE and the International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer.

The Bonnie J. Addario Lung Cancer Foundation (ALCF) is partnering with ALK Positive, an online community of over 1,200 members worldwide dealing with ALK-positive lung cancer, to encourage Lung Cancer Registry membership.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) granted priority review to pembrolizumab (Keytruda) monotherapy for the first-line treatment of patients with locally advanced or metastatic nonsquamous or squamous non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) whose tumors express PD-L1 without EGFR or ALK genomic tumor aberrations.

The phase I open-label LIBRETTO-001 clinical trial is currently testing LOXO-292, an oral small molecule inhibitor of RET signaling, to improve outcomes in patients with RET fusion–positive non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), medullary thyroid cancer (MTC), and other tumors with increased RET activity.

The FDA granted breakthrough therapy designation to the oral agent LOXO-292 for the treatment of RET fusion–positive non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) or RET-mutant medullary thyroid cancer (MTC).

The Bonnie J. Addario Lung Cancer Foundation (ALCF) and the EGFR Resisters, a patient-driven community of people living with epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) positive lung cancer and their loved ones, are working together to raise funds and increase awareness of projects that benefit the EGFR community.

The trial that led to national screening guidelines—which recommend screening based on age and smoking history—did not include fair representation from all racial/ethnic groups.

Broad-based genomic sequencing, while useful in identifying tumor mutations in patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), may not improve survival outcomes when compared to routine genomic testing.

The FDA has granted a full approval to the combination use of pembrolizumab (Keytruda) plus standard chemotherapy in the first-line setting for patients with metastatic nonsquamous non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).

The FDA has granted an accelerated approval to nivolumab (Opdivo) for the treatment of patients with small cell lung cancer (SCLC) whose disease has progressed after platinum-based chemotherapy and 1 other line of therapy.

Even among former smokers who have not smoked in more than 15 years, there is more than a minimal risk of lung cancer.

The partners will collaborate to empower the lung cancer community through educational efforts.

The FDA granted a priority review to the anti-PD-1 agent pembrolizumab (Keytruda) in combination with chemotherapy as a first-line treatment for metastatic squamous non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), regardless of PD-L1 expression.

Key recommendations from LUNGevity's Expanded Eligibility working group were published in the Journal of Thoracic Oncology.

Next-generation sequencing (NGS) in metastatic non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) can save Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) payers $1.4 million to $2.1 million.

The FDA has granted breakthrough therapy designation to the kinase inhibitor crizotinib (Xalkori) for two indications.