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In non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), KRAS G12 mutations have been historically difficult to target, and research efforts dedicated to the development of effective targeted therapies for NRG1 fusions have not been successful. However, several biopharmaceutical companies are in the early stages of addressing that challenge, explained Sai-Hong I. Ou, MD, PhD.

The FDA has approved the NovoTTF-100L System in combination with pemetrexed and platinum-based chemotherapy for the frontline treatment of patients with unresectable, locally advanced or metastatic malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM), marking the first treatment for this patient population in more than 15 years.

The FDA has expanded the approval for pembrolizumab (Keytruda) monotherapy for the frontline treatment of patients with stage III non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), who are ineligible for surgery or definitive chemoradiation, or metastatic NSCLC, with a PD-L1 expression (tumor proportion score [TPS]) level of ≥1% and do not harbor EGFR or ALK aberrations.

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.