5 Lung Cancer-Related Stories to Commemorate World Lung Cancer Day

Today is World Lung Cancer Day, and while there are still advancements that need to be made, new treatments and cutting-edge research has improved the quality and quantity of life for patients with the disease.

In honor of World Lung Cancer Day, we took a look at some of the most-read lung cancer-related news items from 2022.

• A Step Forward in Treating KRAS G12-Mutated Lung Cancer. The KRAS mutation was previously seen as “undruggable” for patients with lung cancer, but now there is a drug, Lumakras (sotorasib) that is approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), while others continue to be investigated.
• Patient Receives Treatment With Novel Drug in First-in-Human Trial Assessing its Safety and Efficacy in Lung Cancer. Earlier this year, a clinical trial kicked off examining BDTX-1535 in patients with non-small cell lung that harbors an EGFR mutation of intrinsic or acquired resistance and has failed standard treatment cancer as well as glioblastoma (a type of brain cancer). Study results for the novel drug, which inhibits the EGFR alterations that help cancer cells grow, are expected to be published in 2024.
• A Paradigm Shift in Early-Stage Lung Cancer May Be Leading to More Cures. Immunotherapy has made landmark advancements in the treatment of non-small cell lung cancer in recent years. Now, researchers are testing these drugs earlier in the treatment plan — before disease spreads — which may lead to an immune response against cancer that is, “permanent, even when the drug is stopped,” according to an expert.
• What Patients With Lung Cancer Don’t Know May Be Critically Important. Biomarker testing has become common practice in lung cancer, as gaining more information about the cancer’s molecular makeup can help guide treatment decisions. However, many patients with lung cancer reported that they did not have these test results shared with them and less than 25% reported receiving a printed copy of their results.
• FDA Approves Opdivo-Chemotherapy Regimen for Pre-Surgical Treatment for Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer. In March, the FDA approved Opdivo (nivolumab) plus doublet chemotherapy for the pre-surgical treatment of patients with surgery-eligible non-small cell lung cancer, marking a “turning point in how we treat resectable (non-small cell lung cancer),” according to an expert.

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