Lung Cancer

Investigative and newly approved drugs targeting RET activity and KRAS-related mutations are showing deep, durable responses in several types of cancers.

While discussing a few case studies, the panel was able to make appropriate treatment decisions for each patient and emphasized the importance of communicating with patients as a physician.

Researchers estimate a 5-year overall survival rate of 42.9% for patients treated with durvalumab compared with 33.4% for those administered a placebo after chemoradiation therapy.

Lung cancer, the most common cancer type with the highest mortality, can largely be categorized by the genetic mutations that cause it.

This is the first and only oncology immunotherapy to show positive phase 3 results in the adjuvant lung cancer setting.

The objective of the study was to determine whether atezolizumab could also be efficacious for patients with earlier-stage disease who may be at risk of disease recurrence following surgery

In a trial of amivantamab-vmjw, investigators found an overall response rate of 40% among patients with non-small cell lung cancer whose tumors have epidermal growth factor receptor exon 20 insertion mutations.

Addition of atezolizumab and durvalumab to chemotherapy is a win for patients with extensive-stage small cell lung cancer

The safety profile for the combination treatment remained consistent with previously reported data in NSCLC and was deemed manageable with established protocols with no new safety signals identified.

The durvalumab plus chemotherapy arm demonstrated a statistically significant improvement in PFS versus chemotherapy in the previous analysis, but the OS trend observed in this analysis did not achieve statistical significance.

Prevention methods, including smoking cessation and public education, remain critical in combating the United States’ third most common cancer type.

A session at the Hematology/Oncology Pharmacy Association Virtual Annual Conference provided an overview of how treatment options are changing with potential new therapies in development for patients with non-small cell lung cancer.

Because each of these methods targets 1 of 2 subtypes of tumor cell, both methods must be utilized simultaneously in order to kill the majority of the tumor mass, according to the study.

In the United States, non–small cell lung cancer accounts for 80% to 85% of all lung cancers, with most patients initially diagnosed with advanced or metastatic disease.

In patients who received early palliative care, researchers noted a lower percentage of patients with depression, improved quality of life, and, significantly, longer survival.

Language barriers can present a major obstacle to patient involvement in cancer care, although clinicians recommended several potential strategies to help patients who speak different languages.

A viewpoint perspective from 3 experts endorsed the requirement for a patient and their physician to engage in a shared discussion of benefits and harms before proceeding with a low-dose spiral computed tomography (LDCT) scan in order to prevent lung cancer death.

The FDA announced that it will hold a public meeting of the Oncologic Drugs Advisory Committee from April 27 to 29 to address the indications granted accelerated approval for 6 therapies.

The FDA has granted a fast track designation to poziotinib for use in previously treated non-small cell lung cancer patients with HER2 exon 20 mutations.

The VENTANA ALK CDx assay is a companion diagnostic to identify patients with ALK-positive non–small cell lung cancer who are eligible to receive treatment with lorlatinib.

This is the third approval for Libtayo, following approvals as the first immunotherapy for patients with advanced basal cell carcinoma and as the first systemic treatment for advanced cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma.

As a direct result of the global pandemic, the landscape for oncology health care professionals has changed.

A recent comprehensive, prospective study of smoking habits among patients with non-small cell lung cancer demonstrated a high rate of smoking reduction and cessation following entry into the phase 3 early-stage trial.

The FDA has granted priority review to sotorasib for the treatment of patients with KRAS G12C–mutated locally advanced or metastatic non–small cell lung cancer, after at least 1 previous systemic therapy.

The FDA has approved trilaciclib (Cosela) to reduce the frequency of chemotherapy-induced bone marrow suppression in adults receiving certain types of chemotherapy for extensive-stage small cell lung cancer.