Lung Cancer News Update

Bispecific Antibody Active in Relapsed/Refractory Small Cell Lung Cancer — A majority of patients obtained disease control with tarlatamab; responses proved durable “A first-in-class bispecific antibody achieved durable responses in a fourth of patients with advanced small cell lung cancer (SCLC) and disease control in more than half, a preliminary clinical trial showed.” Unanswered Questions Spur Future Lung Cancer Research Efforts “Compared with other chemoimmunotherapy regimens for patients with non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), tremelimumab (Imjudo) plus durvalumab (Imfinzi) and chemotherapy has a favorable toxicity profile that may stem from its shortened course of CTLA-4 inhibition, according to Edward B. Garon, MD, MS. Further study of these combinations may clarify the role of CTLA-4 inhibition in NSCLC management and define optimal treatment durations.” Yale-led trial shows significant disease-free survival for patients diagnosed with non-small cell lung cancer “New data from a Yale Cancer Center-led clinical trial shows improved rates of survival and reduced risk of recurrence in patients taking osimertinib, a targeted therapy for non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). NSCLC is the most common type of lung cancer, and for patients diagnosed with more advanced disease stages, cases tend to recur.” Researchers launch new lung cancer screening study on World Cancer Day “Screening rates are low for lung cancer, the No. 1 cause of cancer death worldwide. UC Davis researchers want to find out why that is.” This software tries to spot lung cancer years earlier. Can it? “Sybil, which was created by Harvard and MIT researchers, could pave the way for early tumor detection. But experts call for more testing before clinical use.” A vaccine to prevent lung cancer? “Researchers at Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center are taking the next steps with a lung cancer vaccine. The groundbreaking lung cancer immunotherapy drug CIMAvax-EGF, which has shown promise in the treatment of lung cancer, is now being studied in the prevention of the disease, specifically in those most at risk for developing lung cancer or experiencing a recurrence.” Lung cancer rates have decreased for the Marlboro Man, but have risen steeply for nonsmokers and young women – an oncologist explains why “When many people think of an average lung cancer patient, they often imagine an older man smoking. But the face of lung cancer has changed. Over the past 15 years, more women, never smokers and younger people are being diagnosed with lung cancer.”