Laura Alder, MD, on New Data on Combination Therapy, Immunotherapy, and ADCs in Small Cell Lung Cancer
Laura Alder, MD, of Duke University Medical Center, highlights emerging data discussed in the meeting’s oral abstract session on small cell lung cancer, including increased toxicity without efficacy benefit from concurrent chemoradiation and immunotherapy, the intracranial activity of tarlatamab-dlle, and early data for a SEZ6-targeting antibody-drug conjugate.
Jamie E. Chaft, MD, FASCO, on Nivolumab After Surgery and Adjuvant Chemotherapy in NSCLC
Jamie E. Chaft, MD, FASCO, of Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, discusses findings from ECOG-ACRIN EA5142/ALCHEMIST, a phase III randomized trial that evaluated the efficacy of adjuvant nivolumab after standard-of-care adjuvant therapy in patients with resected lung adenocarcinoma without sensitizing EGFR and ALK alterations and squamous cell carcinoma (Abstract 8000).
SCLC With Brain-Only Progression: Original or Substitute Systemic Therapy With or Without Brain Radiotherapy
In a Chinese retrospective cohort study reported in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, Lu et al found that adding brain radiotherapy to continued original systemic therapy produced better outcomes compared to brain radiotherapy and substitution of systemic therapy or substitution of systemic therapy ...
John V. Heymach, MD, PhD, on First-Line Therapy for Advanced NSCLC With EGFR Exon 20 Insertions
John V. Heymach, MD, PhD, of The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, discusses results from the primary analysis of the multinational phase III WU-KONG28 trial, which looked at sunvozertinib monotherapy vs platinum-based therapy as first-line treatment for patients with advanced non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and EGFR exon 20 insertions (Abstract LBA8500).
Giannis S. Mountzios, MD, on SCLC: Intracranial Effect of Tarlatamab vs Chemotherapy
Giannis S. Mountzios, MD, of Henry Dunant Hospital Center, discusses findings from a post hoc analysis of the phase III DeLLphi-304 trial, which examined the intracranial efficacy of tarlatamab vs chemotherapy as second-line therapy for small cell lung cancer (SCLC) (Abstract 8006).
Ramaswamy Govindan, MD, FASCO, on EGFR-Mutant NSCLC: Final Overall Survival Results From Alliance A081105
Ramaswamy Govindan, MD, FASCO, of Alvin J. Siteman Cancer Center at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, presents the final overall survival results from the randomized phase III Alliance A081105 trial, which evaluated adjuvant erlotinib vs observation after complete resection of EGFR-mutant non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) (Abstract 8001).
Lauren Averett Byers, MD, on ABBV-706 in Relapsed or Refractory SCLC
Lauren Averett Byers, MD, of The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, describes data on ABBV-706—an investigational antibody-drug conjugate targeting SEZ6—alone or in combination with the anti–PD-1 monoclonal antibody budigalimab in patients with relapsed or refractory small cell lung cancer (SCLC) (Abstract 8008).
Brendan Heiden, MD, on Lung Cancer Screening Eligibility: Smoking Duration vs Pack-Years
Brendan Heiden, MD, of Washington University School of Medicine, discusses data from a unique real-world cohort of nearly 1 million patients in the Veterans Health Administration; researchers evaluated whether tobacco smoking duration improves lung cancer risk prediction compared with tobacco pack-years (Abstract 8004).
Misty Dawn Shields, MD, PhD, on SCLC: Expert Point of View
Misty Dawn Shields, MD, PhD, of Indiana University Melvin and Bren Simon Comprehensive Cancer Center, shares her perspective on two small cell lung cancer (SCLC) abstracts presented at this year’s meeting. The first focuses on a post hoc analysis of the phase III DeLLphi-304 trial (Abstract 8006), which looked at the intracranial efficacy of tarlatamab in the second line; the second evaluated concurrent thoracic radiotherapy, chemotherapy, and durvalumab in extensive-stage disease (Abstract LBA8005).
Bjorn Henning Gronberg, MD, PhD, on Extensive-Stage SCLC: Concurrent TRT and Chemoimmunotherapy
Bjorn Henning Gronberg, MD, PhD, of St. Olav’s Hospital, discusses findings from a phase III trial of concurrent thoracic radiotherapy (TRT) plus platinum/etoposide chemotherapy and the PD-L1 inhibitor durvalumab in patients with extensive-stage small cell lung cancer (SCLC) (Abstract LBA8005).
Julie R. Brahmer, MD, FASCO, on Previously Untreated Advanced Squamous NSCLC: HARMONi-6 Trial
Julie R. Brahmer, MD, FASCO, of the Bloomberg–Kimmel Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy, Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, provides expert commentary on the overall survival results from the phase III HARMONi-6 trial presented in this year’s Plenary Session. The study compared ivonescimab plus chemotherapy vs tislelizumab plus chemotherapy in previously untreated patients with advanced squamous non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) (Abstract LBA4).
Adjuvant Selpercatinib Improves Event-Free Survival in RET-Positive Early-Stage NSCLC
Adjuvant treatment with the selective RET inhibitor selpercatinib significantly reduced the risk of disease recurrence, progression, or death among patients with resected stage IB to IIIA RET fusion–positive non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), according to results from the phase III LIBRETTO-432...
Overall Survival Benefit With Ivonescimab Plus Chemotherapy in Advanced Squamous NSCLC
New findings from the phase III HARMONi-6 trial presented at the 2026 ASCO Annual Meeting showed that the investigational bispecific antibody ivonescimab combined with chemotherapy significantly improved overall survival compared with tislelizumab plus chemotherapy in patients with advanced...
Julie R. Gralow, MD, FACP, FASCO, on Highlights of the 2026 ASCO Annual Meeting
Julie R. Gralow, MD, FACP, FASCO, Chief Medical Officer and Executive Vice President of ASCO, provides an overview of the highlights of this year’s meeting, including practice-changing data included in the Plenary Session.
Jonathan W. Goldman, MD, on RET Fusion–Positive NSCLC: Adjuvant Selpercatinib
Jonathan W. Goldman, MD, of the University of California, Los Angeles, presents event-free survival data from the primary analysis of the phase III LIBRETTO-432 trial, which investigated the efficacy of the kinase inhibitor selpercatinib in patients with stage IB–IIIA RET fusion–positive non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) (Abstract LBA3).
Jessica J. Lin, MD, on Neladalkib in Advanced ALK-Positive NSCLC
Jessica J. Lin, MD, Mass General Brigham Cancer Institute, presents data from the ALKOVE-1 study, which is looking at the investigational ALK tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) neladalkib among patients with ALK-positive non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC); Dr. Lin discusses the first analyses of phase II TKI-pretreated patients and preliminary data in TKI-naive patients (Abstract 8503).
Sanjay Popat, PhD, FRCP, on RET Fusion-Positive NSCLC: First-Line Pralsetinib
Sanjay Popat, PhD, FRCP, of the Royal Marsden Hospital & Institute of Cancer Research, talks about the findings of the phase III AcceleRET-Lung study, which looked at the oral tyrosine kinase inhibitor pralsetinib as first-line therapy for patients with RET fusion–positive advanced or metastatic non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) (Abstract 8504).
Ramaswamy Govindan, MD, FASCO, on EGFR-Mutant NSCLC: Final Overall Survival Results From Alliance A081105
Ramaswamy Govindan, MD, FASCO, of Alvin J. Siteman Cancer Center at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, presents the final overall survival results from the randomized phase III Alliance A081105 trial, which evaluated adjuvant erlotinib vs observation after complete resection of EGFR-mutant non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) (Abstract 8001).
Lauren Averett Byers, MD, on ABBV-706 in Relapsed or Refractory SCLC
Lauren Averett Byers, MD, of The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, describes data on ABBV-706—an investigational antibody-drug conjugate targeting SEZ6—alone or in combination with the anti–PD-1 monoclonal antibody budigalimab in patients with relapsed or refractory small cell lung cancer (SCLC) (Abstract 8008).
Tony S.K. Mok, MD, FRCPC, FASCO, on Advanced ALK-Positive NSCLC: 7-Year Update From the CROWN Trial
Tony S.K. Mok, MD, FRCPC, FASCO, of the Chinese University of Hong Kong, presents long-term findings from the CROWN trial, which evaluated lorlatinib vs crizotinib in patients with advanced ALK-positive non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). At 5 years, median progression-free survival was not reached with lorlatinib in this population, representing the longest progression-free survival ever reported in advanced NSCLC (Abstract 8502).
First-Line Sunvozertinib in Advanced NSCLC With EGFR Exon 20 Insertion Mutations
The EGFR-targeting tyrosine kinase inhibitor sunvozertinib was more effective than standard platinum-based chemotherapy as a first-line treatment for patients with advanced non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) driven by EGFR exon 20 insertion mutations (EGFR exon20ins). Results from the phase III...
I Have Advanced-Stage Lung Cancer. I Refuse to Be a Victim of the Disease
I remember thinking on the day I turned 60, May 10, 2021, “This is going to be the best year of my life.” I couldn’t have been more wrong. Within weeks of feeling that swell of optimism about my future, I began experiencing a series of odd, and, seemingly unrelated symptoms leading to my eventual...
Beyond Nodule Detection: AI, Chest CT, and a Vision for Population Health
Lung cancer resulted in 1.8 million deaths globally in 2022 and remains the leading cause of cancer-related mortality worldwide. Low-dose CT screening has been shown to reduce lung cancer mortality, and many countries have now implemented CT-based screening programs. In a perspective recently...
Recent Rates of Systemic Treatment for Metastatic NSCLC in Older Adults
In a cohort study reported in JAMA Oncology, Fox et al found that approximately half of older patients with metastatic non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) have received systemic therapy in the United States in recent years. Study Details The population-based study used linked Surveillance...
Tiragolumab/Atezolizumab and Chemotherapy Fails in Advanced Nonsquamous NSCLC
As reported in JAMA Oncology by Socinski et al, the phase III SKYSCRAPER-06 trial showed no progression-free or overall survival benefit with tiragolumab, a monoclonal antibody targeting T-cell immunoreceptor with Ig and ITIM domains (immunoreceptor tyrosine-based inhibitory motifs) (TIGIT), plus...
High YAP1 Expression Leads to Chemotherapy Resistance, Relapse in Treated SCLC
Expression of the YAP1 protein following treatment with chemotherapy is associated with the development of treatment resistance and cancer relapse in patients with small cell lung cancer (SCLC), according to findings from an analysis published in Journal of Thoracic Oncology. The researchers...
COA and Flatiron Health Study Finds Patients May Experience Longer Survival in Community Oncology Settings
Patients diagnosed with metastatic breast cancer and non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) had longer survival compared to national benchmarks when treated in independent community oncology practices, according to a new study commissioned by the Community Oncology Alliance (COA) and conducted by...
Long-Term Outcomes With Taletrectinib in ROS1-Positive NSCLC
As reported in the Journal of Clinical Oncology by Li et al, long-term follow-up of a Chinese phase II trial (TRUST-I) showed prolonged activity with taletrectinib in patients with ROS1 mutation–positive non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Study Details In the multicenter trial, 173 patients had...
Early-Onset Lung Cancer May Be Connected to Pesticide Contaminants
Dietary patterns in young patients with lung cancer suggest that many have higher dietary quality scores than average U.S. reference values, according to results from a study presented at the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) Annual Meeting 2026 (Abstract 5039). The researchers...
Melissa Johnson, MD, on Advanced Nonsquamous NSCLC: Second-Line Risvutatug Rezetecan and Adebrelimab
Melissa Johnson, MD, of Sarah Cannon Research Institute, reviews results from a cohort of the phase I ARTEMIS-101 trial, which she was the discussant of at AACR 2026. The subgroup of cohort 1a included patients with advanced nonsquamous non–small cell lung cancer and no actionable genomic alterations. The combination of the novel antibody-drug conjugate risvutatug rezetecan and the monoclonal antibody adebrelimab showed a “trend towards improved efficacy” vs monotherapy with risvutatug rezetecan in this patient population (Abstract CT038).
Unique Phase I NSCLC Trial Sites Decreasing in United States
The number of unique clinical trial sites in the United States with phase I studies for patients with non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) decreased by 44% from 2020 to 2024, showing a significant consolidation of studies to only high trial volume sites in the country, according to the results of a...
Yuji Shibata, MD, PhD, on HER2-Mutant NSCLC: Mechanisms of Zongertinib Resistance
Yuji Shibata, MD, PhD, of The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, describes findings on the identification of novel HER2 mutations that mediate resistance to the tyrosine kinase inhibitor zongertinib among patients with non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC); these data also indicated that sevabertinib may be effective against a subset of these genomic alterations (Abstract 7025).
Lyudmila A. Bazhenova, MD, on ROS1-Positive NSCLC: Taletrectinib in TKI-Naive Patients
Lyudmila A. Bazhenova, MD, of the University of California, San Diego, presents updated data from the phase II TRUST-I and TRUST-II trials. With approximately 3 years of follow-up in the pooled analysis, investigators now conclude that the next-generation, selective ROS1 tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) is an effective and tolerable treatment option for patients with advanced ROS1 mutation–positive NSCLC who have not received a prior ROS1 TKI (Abstract CT300).
First-Line Zongertinib in Advanced HER2-Mutant NSCLC
In a phase IA to IB trial reported in The New England Journal of Medicine, Heymach et al found that first-line zongertinib was active in patients with advanced or metastatic HER2-mutant non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). As noted by the investigators, zongertinib is an oral, irreversible tyrosine...
Fabrice Barlesi, MD, PhD, on Resectable NSCLC: IPH5201 Plus Durvalumab and Platinum-Based Chemotherapy
Fabrice Barlesi, MD, PhD, of Gustave Roussy, discusses interim results from the phase II MATISSE trial, which looked at dual CD39 and PD-L1 inhibition in patients with resectable non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). The study investigated the combination of IPH5201, an investigational anti-CD39 monoclonal antibody, and the immune checkpoint inhibitor durvalumab plus platinum-based chemotherapy (Abstract CT231).
Manale El Kharbili, PhD, on a Novel Strategy to Eliminate MRD in HER2-Mutant NSCLC
Manale El Kharbili, PhD, of the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, discusses preclinical work that showed HER2-mutant non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) cell lines retained demonstrated dynamic changes in cell surface protein expression in treatment-naive vs zongertinib-induced measurable residual disease (MRD) states. Tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI)-sensitive and TKI-resistant HER2-driven lines demonstrated high sensitivity to therapies targeting surface proteins, which correlated with their level of expression—representing a potential novel therapeutic strategy for eradicating MRD and preventing relapse in these patients (Abstract 3166).
Metastatic NSCLC: Deep Learning Pathomics Platform May Help Predict Response to Immunotherapy
A biology-guided artificial intelligence model applied to routine pathology slides accurately predicted outcomes and response to immunotherapy in patients with metastatic non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), according to a study presented at the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) Annual ...
Jonathan Riess, MD, on Zoldonrasib in Previously Treated Patients With KRAS G12D–Mutant NSCLC
Jonathan Riess, MD, of the University of California, Davis, describes preliminary data on the safety and clinical activity of zoldonrasib (also known as RMC-9805), an oral, RAS(ON) G12D–selective, tricomplex inhibitor, in previously treated patients with KRAS G12D–mutant non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) (Abstract CT021).
Elisrasib Demonstrates High Disease Control Rate in KRAS G12C–Mutant NSCLC
Elisrasib, a next-generation KRAS G12C inhibitor, demonstrated disease control in a majority of patients with KRAS G12C–mutated non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), whether exposed to a prior KRAS G12C inhibitor or not, according to findings from an ongoing phase I/II clinical trial presented at the ...
Zoldonrasib in Patients With KRAS G12D–Mutant NSCLC Previously Treated With Chemoimmunotherapy
The investigational KRAS G12D inhibitor zoldonrasib had a favorable safety profile and induced antitumor activity in some patients with KRAS G12D–mutated non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) who were previously treated with chemotherapy and immunotherapy, according to preliminary findings from an...
Thi Van Trinh Tran, PhD, on the Histopathology of Lung Cancer in Neversmokers
Thi Van Trinh Tran, PhD, of the National Cancer Institute, describes histologic and prognostic findings from the largest cohort of lung cancer in people who have never smoked. Tumor-infiltrating lymphocyte data also reflected refined risk stratification (Abstract 1302).
Sequential or Concurrent Radiotherapy and Immunotherapy in Advanced Newly Diagnosed or Refractory NSCLC
In a Chinese cohort study (OCEANUS) reported in JAMA Oncology, Zhou et al found that sequential radiotherapy (RT) and immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI) therapy was associated with better overall survival vs concurrent RT and ICI therapy in patients with advanced newly diagnosed or refractory...
Asbestos-Free Talc Not Associated With Increased Risk for Respiratory Cancers
Occupational exposure to asbestos-free talc did not increase the risk for lung, mesothelioma, or laryngeal cancers, according to the results of a systemic review and meta-analysis published in the Journal of Thoracic Oncology. The study authors, including corresponding author and lead researcher...
Final Report on Pralsetinib in Advanced RET Fusion–Positive NSCLC
As reported in the Journal of Clinical Oncology by Besse et al, the final report from the phase I/II ARROW trial supports the efficacy of the RET inhibitor pralsetinib in patients with advanced RET fusion–positive non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). The initial reports from the trial supported U.S. ...
Long-Term Outcomes With Pralsetinib in RET Fusion–Positive NSCLC
Long-term follow-up of the oral selective RET inhibitor pralsetinib in patients with advanced non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and a RET fusion confirms its efficacy and safety, according to final findings from the phase I/II ARROW trial published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology. “Before...
Setidegrasib in Advanced NSCLC and Pancreatic Cancer Harboring the KRAS p.G12D Variant
In a phase I trial reported in The New England Journal of Medicine, Park et al identified the toxicity profile and preliminary antitumor activity of setidegrasib, a first-in-class KRAS G12D–targeted protein degrader, in patients with previously treated advanced non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) or ...
Surgery Still Safe, Beneficial For Many Octogenarian Patients With NSCLC
Surgical treatment was found to be safe and demonstrate long-term quality-of-life benefits for carefully selected octogenarians with early-stage non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), according to findings from a prospective cohort study published in The Lancet Regional Health: Americas. “As our...
Patients With Lung Cancer May Safely Receive Adequate SBRT Dosage in One Treatment
Many people with lung cancer can be treated with a highly precise, high dose of radiation given in just one session without compromising the effectiveness of the treatment. The treatment strategy, outlined in a new publication authored by Singh et al in the International Journal of Radiation...
One-Time Low-Dose CT Screening May Reduce Lung Cancer Mortality Among Neversmokers in Asia
One-time low-dose computed tomography (CT) screening for lung cancer in a non–risk-based Chinese population led to a significant reduction in lung cancer mortality, according to the results of a prospective, nonrandomized, controlled study presented at the European Lung Cancer Congress 2026...
AI-Driven Multiagent System for Guiding First-Line Immunotherapy for NSCLC
An artificial intelligence (AI) multiagent system demonstrated correct and complete reasoning in determining the use of immunotherapy for patients with non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) in the first-line setting, according to findings presented during the first European Society for Medical...
