Small Cell Lung Cancer

Physicians and patient advocates alike are working to spread the message that it is safe to continue on the course of cancer care and participate in clinical trials during COVID-19.

The Highlands Oncology Group partners with primary care providers to identify patients at high risk of lung cancer so the specialists can do a more in-depth screening, explained Joanna Thompson, multidisciplinary program manager, Highlands Oncology Group.

Early treatment with lorlatinib led to improved progression-free survival in ALK-positive NSCLC patients compared with crizotinib treatment, a study published in the New England Journal of Medicine found.

Multidisciplinary lung cancer clinics might help patients and the system save on treatment costs while improving patient experiences, according to an abstract presented at CHEST 2020.

In patients under age 70, lung cancer conferred the highest risk of death from coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).

Current lung cancer screening guidelines do not identify high-risk young, African American smokers, an abstract presented at CHEST 2020 found.

Abstracts presented at CHEST 2020 explored possible reasons for low lung cancer screening rates and suggested solutions.

Regeneron’s PD-1 inhibitor Libtayo was accepted for priority FDA review for the treatment of first-line locally advanced or metastatic non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) with PD-L1 expression of at least 50%.

Current screening criteria in the United States identify fewer women than men who will get lung cancer, creating a perfect storm for what experts during a session at the CHEST Annual Meeting deemed an “invisible epidemic.”

A pair of abstracts based on a phase 1/2 trial of adagrasib (MRTX849) a KRAS G12C inhibitor, showed promising results for patients with lung, bowel, and other solid tumors, researchers reported at the 32nd EORTC-NCI-AACR Symposium on Molecular Targets and Cancer Therapeutics.

Researchers analyzed 2 randomized studies to learn how adding radiation therapy to pembrolizumab immunotherapy affects non-small cell lung cancer patient outcomes.

Cancer screenings and treatments saw a sharp decline during the early months of the pandemic. The authors of a new study on the delays in care warn that the fallout may be grim.

Nearly 10,000 deaths from non–small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) were likely delayed between 2014 to 2016, the researchers calculated.

The safety profile of nivolumab plus chemotherapy was also consistent with previously reported studies in NSCLC, the researchers said.

In announcing the topline results, Amgen said that sotorasib met the primary end point of centrally assessed objective response rate.

Personalized recommendations for patients with non–small cell lung cancer with squamous histology could benefit from research on treatment choice and biomarkers, noted Blythe Adamson, PhD, MPH, principal quantitative scientist at Flatiron Health.

Efficacy and safety of atezolizumab as first-line therapy for metastatic non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) with high levels of PD-L1 expression is not known, the authors said.

Study results presented during the virtual European Society for Medical Oncology meeting demonstrated the superiority of cemiplimab (Libtayo) plus ipilimumab vs cemiplimab monotherapy for non–small cell lung cancer.

Data from the EMPOWER-Lung 1 trial of cemiplimab (Libtayo) monotherapy vs chemotherapy show why the fully-human monoclonal antibody could become a new treatment option for non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).

The KRAS mutation occurs in 13% of non–small cell lung cancers (NSCLC) and leads to worse outcomes in NSCLC.

Melissa L. Johnson, MD, associate director for lung cancer research at Sarah Cannon Research Institute and partner in Tennessee Oncology, speaks on changes necessitated by the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic and connecting virtually.

More than half of the patients in this study, with either non–small or small cell lung cancer, experienced changes in their treatment plan during the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic this spring.

Melissa L. Johnson, MD, associate director for lung cancer research at Sarah Cannon Research Institute and partner in Tennessee Oncology, discusses the potential of tiragolumab/atezolizumab for metastatic non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).

Melissa L. Johnson, MD, associate director for lung cancer research at Sarah Cannon Research Institute and partner in Tennessee Oncology, discussed the biggest gains in the lung cancer space that have contributed to improved survival for patients.