Mammography-Based Outreach Increases Lung Cancer Screening Enrollment in Eligible Women
Women who undergo mammography to screen for breast cancer can be reviewed and recommended for additional lung cancer screening, thereby increasing enrollment, according to the results of a study published in the Journal of the American College of Radiology. The study, called Coordinate a Lung...
Are Glycemic Index and Load Associated With Lung Cancer Risk?
Based on the results of a population-based cohort study published in Annals of Family Medicine by Wang et al, high dietary glycemic index is linked to increased risks of lung cancer, non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), and small cell lung cancer (SCLC), whereas glycemic load is inversely associated ...
Second-Line Pembrolizumab Plus Lenvatinib in Pleural Mesothelioma
In a cohort of a Dutch single-center phase II study (PEMMELA) reported in The Lancet Oncology, Douma et al found that pembrolizumab plus lenvatinib was active in patients with pleural mesothelioma whose disease progressed after treatment with nivolumab plus ipilimumab. In cohort 1 in the trial,...
Lung Cancer Deaths Prevented and Life-Years Gained From Lung Cancer Screening: Current vs 100% Screening Uptake
In a study reported as a research letter in JAMA, Bandi et al compared estimated deaths prevented and life-years gained with current uptake vs 100% uptake of annual lung cancer screening in eligible U.S. individuals. Study Details The study used data obtained from the 2024 National Health Interview ...
Exploratory FLAURA2 Analysis Confirms Overall Survival Benefit for Osimertinib in NSCLC Subgroups
An exploratory overall survival analysis of the phase III FLAURA2 trial confirmed the overall survival benefit of adding osimertinib to chemotherapy in patients with non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and mutations in the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) not previously treated for advanced...
Lung Cancer Screening Criteria: NELSON vs PLCOm2012
In a German study (HANSE) reported in The Lancet Oncology, Vogel-Claussen et al found that the PLCOm2012 low-dose computed tomography (CT) lung cancer screening eligibility criteria were more effective than the NELSON criteria in the detection of lung cancer. Study Details The prospective cohort...
External Validation Confirms Ability of AI Model to Stratify Recurrence Risk in Early-Stage Lung Cancer
A machine learning–based survival model, incorporating preoperative CT images and routinely available clinical data, outperformed standard clinical staging systems in predicting recurrence after surgery in patients with lung cancer, especially in stage I, and showed correlations with established...
New Approvals in Hematologic Malignancies, Skin Cancer, and Small Cell Lung Cancer
Here are brief reports on four oncology approvals by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in October 2025: • Menin Inhibitor in NPM1-Positive AML : On October 24, 2025, the FDA approved revumenib (Revuforj), a menin inhibitor, for the treatment of relapsed or refractory acute myeloid...
Ivonescimab, a Dual-Targeting Bispecific Antibody, Improves Progression-Free Survival in Squamous NSCLC
In the phase III HARMONi-6 trial, conducted in China, the bispecific antibody ivonescimab, given with chemotherapy, improved progression-free survival by 4.2 months over the PD-1 inhibitor tislelizumab-jsgr plus chemotherapy, a 40% reduction in risk as first-line treatment of advanced squamous...
Long-Term Survival With Stereotactic Ablative Radiotherapy vs Surgery for Early-Stage NSCLC
With 10 years of follow-up, no significant difference in survival rates was reported between patients who were treated with stereotactic ablative radiotherapy (SABR) or video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) for early-stage non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). These findings from the revised...
Ivonescimab, a Dual-Targeting Bispecific Antibody, Improves Progression-Free Survival in Squamous NSCLC
In the phase III HARMONi-6 trial, conducted in China, the bispecific antibody ivonescimab, given with chemotherapy, improved progression-free survival by 4.2 months over the PD-1 inhibitor tislelizumab-jsgr plus chemotherapy, a 40% reduction in risk as first-line treatment of advanced squamous...
Traditional Approval Granted to Tarlatamab-dlle for Extensive-Stage SCLC
On November 19, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) granted traditional approval to tarlatamab-dlle (Imdelltra), a DLL3-targeting bispecific T-cell engager, for adults with extensive-stage small cell lung cancer (SCLC) with disease progression on or after platinum-based chemotherapy....
FDA Grants Accelerated Approval to Sevabertinib for Nonsquamous NSCLC
On November 19, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) granted accelerated approval to sevabertinib (Hyrnuo), a kinase inhibitor, for adults with locally advanced or metastatic nonsquamous non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) whose tumors have HER2 tyrosine kinase domain (TKD) activating...
Sacituzumab Tirumotecan Improves Survival in EGFR-Mutated NSCLC After Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitor Failure
Sacituzumab tirumotecan, a novel TROP2 antibody-drug conjugate, was found to significantly improve both progression-free and overall survival compared with platinum-based chemotherapy in patients with EGFR-mutated non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) who had experienced disease progression following...
HER3-DXd in Patients With Active Brain Metastases From NSCLC and Breast Cancer
In the phase II TUXEDO-3 trial—reported in two articles in The Lancet Oncology—Fuereder et al and Bartsch et al found that the topoisomerase-1 HER3-targeting antibody-drug conjugate patritumab deruxtecan (HER3-DXd) was active in cohorts of patients with active brain metastases from advanced...
First-Line Ivonescimab or Tislelizumab Plus Chemotherapy in Advanced Squamous NSCLC
In an interim analysis of a Chinese phase III trial (HARMONi-6) reported in The Lancet, Chen et al found that the combination of ivonescimab—a bispecific antibody targeting PD-1 and VEGF—plus chemotherapy prolonged progression-free survival vs tislelizumab—an anti–PD-1 monoclonal antibody—plus...
New Report: Lung Cancer Advancements Are Saving More Lives Than Ever, but Funding Cuts May Hinder Progress
The American Lung Association has released its 2025 “State of Lung Cancer” report, which reveals great strides in efforts to end lung cancer—the leading cause of cancer-related deaths in the United States. This year, nearly 227,000 people in the United States will be diagnosed with lung cancer....
Investigational Antibody-Drug Conjugate in Previously Treated SCLC
About 13% of all lung cancers in the United States are small cell lung cancer (SCLC), and approximately 87% are non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Together, these lung cancers are the second most common cancer diagnosed in both men and women, excluding skin cancer. Usually a very aggressive...
Elironrasib Active in KRAS G12C–Resistant NSCLC
Elironrasib, a novel RAS G12C–selective tri-complex inhibitor, demonstrated initial clinical activity and a differentiated safety profile in heavily pretreated patients with non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and KRAS G12C mutations, according to findings from a phase I trial presented at the 2025...
Pembrolizumab Plus Chemotherapy Without Radiotherapy in Unresectable Locally Advanced NSCLC With High PD-L1 Expression
In a Japanese phase II trial (Evolution) reported in The Lancet Oncology, Hata et al found that pembrolizumab plus platinum-based chemotherapy without radiotherapy was active in unresectable locally advanced non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) with a PD-L1 tumor proportion score (TPS) ≥ 50%. Study...
Sacituzumab Tirumotecan in EGFR-Mutated Advanced NSCLC
In a Chinese phase III trial (OptiTROP-Lung-04) reported at the recent ESMO Congress and published in The New England Journal of Medicine, Fang et al found that monotherapy with sacituzumab tirumotecan (sac-TMT)—an antibody-drug conjugate targeting trophoblast cell–surface antigen 2—was associated...
Unresectable Stage III NSCLC: Addition of Simultaneous Durvalumab to Chemoradiotherapy
As reported in the Journal of Clinical Oncology by Bradley et al, the phase III PACIFIC-2 trial showed no significant progression-free survival benefit with the simultaneous addition of durvalumab to concurrent platinum-based chemoradiotherapy (cCRT) in patients with unresectable stage III...
Local Consolidative Therapy Enhances Outcomes With Osimertinib in EGFR-Mutant NSCLC
Osimertinib in combination with local consolidative therapy of radiation and/or surgery led to a significant extension of progression-free survival for patients with EGFR-mutant metastatic non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), according to findings from the phase II NorthStar trial presented at the...
Defying the Odds
In early 2023, I began experiencing serious symptoms that were not easily explained away, including deep vein thrombosis in my left leg, extreme weight loss, bruising, wheezing, and shortness of breath so severe that it was difficult to walk my dog more than a few feet without gasping for air. For...
Reversible TKI in HER2-Mutant NSCLC
The oral targeted therapy sevabertinib led to tumor reduction and manageable side effects in patients with HER2-mutant non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), according to data from the phase I/II SOHO-01 clinical trial. Over 70% of the patients studied saw their tumors shrink or disappear. The results ...
Final FLAURA2 Analysis Confirms First-Line Benefit of Osimertinib/Chemotherapy in EGFR-Positive NSCLC
The combination of osimertinib plus chemotherapy led to a median overall survival of 47.5 months compared with 37.6 months with osimertinib monotherapy in patients with EGFR-mutated advanced non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) who had not received prior treatment for advanced disease, according to...
VT3989 Demonstrates Antitumor Activity and Tolerability in Refractory Mesothelioma
The first-in-class YAP-TEAD inhibitor VT3989 has demonstrated promising antitumor activity and tolerability in patients with refractory mesothelioma, according to findings from a phase I/II trial presented at the European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO) Congress 2025 (Abstract 920O) and...
Multidisciplinary Program Doubles Lung Cancer Screening Rates
Researchers have created a roadmap to improve national lung cancer screening rates that doubled lung cancer screening rates through their multidisciplinary lung cancer screening program, according to a study published in NEJM Catalyst. “Our biggest success was not only screening a high percentage...
Thymic Health Associated With ICI Response
New research being presented during the European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO) Congress 2025 showed that thymic health is linked to response to immune checkpoint inhibition in patients with cancer (Abstract 108O). “Immunotherapy relies on unleashing T cells, and the thymus is where T cells...
First-Line PD-1/PD-L1 Inhibitors vs BRAF Plus MEK Inhibitors in BRAF V600E–Mutated Metastatic NSCLC
In a retrospective cohort study (FRONT-BRAF) reported in The Lancet Oncology, Di Federico et al found that first-line PD-1 or PD-L1 inhibitors with or without platinum-based chemotherapy were associated with improved overall survival compared with BRAF and MEK inhibitors in patients with metastatic ...
Survival With Dual CTLA-4 and PD-L1/PD-1 Blockade in Advanced NSCLC
In a systematic review and reconstructed individual-patient meta-analysis reported in The Lancet Oncology, Di Federico et al found that dual CTLA-4 and PD-L1 or PD-1 blockade did not result in improved long-term survival overall vs single PD-L1 or PD-1 blockade in patients with advanced non–small...
FANSS: Should Lung Cancer Screening Guidelines Be Expanded to Include Female Asian Nonsmokers?
The results of the multicenter Female Asian Nonsmoker Screening Study (FANSS) suggest that low-dose CT screening is feasible and has value for early lung cancer detection in the historically underserved demographic of Asian women with no history of smoking. These data from the largest United...
Improved Outcomes Reported With Second-Line Regimen of Ivonescimab Plus Chemotherapy in NSCLC
In the phase III HARMONi trial, when ivonescimab was given with carboplatin plus pemetrexed, vs the chemotherapy regimen alone, after a third-generation tyrosine kinase inhibitor, patients with EGFR-mutated non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) had a significant delay in disease progression.1...
Pulsed Low-Dose–Rate Chemoradiation Reduces Severe Esophagitis in Esophageal Cancer and NSCLC
Chemoradiation with a pulsed low-dose–rate technique led to lower-than-usual rates of severe esophagitis without compromising efficacy in patients with esophageal and non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), according to findings from a single-arm phase I study presented as a poster during the American...
Immunotherapy Addition Yields QOL Benefits in Limited-Stage Small Cell Lung Cancer
Clinically meaningful improvements in longer-term quality of life were achieved with the addition of atezolizumab immunotherapy to chemoradiation in patients with limited-stage small cell lung cancer (LS-SCLC), according to patient-reported outcome findings from the NRG LU005 trial presented during ...
FDA Approves Combination Regimen for Extensive-Stage SCLC
On October 2, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved lurbinectedin (Zepzelca) in combination with atezolizumab (Tecentriq) or atezolizumab and hyaluronidase-tqjs (Tecentriq Hybreza) for maintenance treatment of adults with extensive-stage small cell lung cancer (SCLC) whose disease...
In Extensive-Stage Small Cell Lung Cancer, Novel Maintenance Regimen Boosts Overall Survival
The phase Ib DeLLphi-303 trial has reported overall survival data for a novel maintenance regimen in extensive-stage small cell lung cancer following first-line chemoimmunotherapy. Patients treated with the bispecific T-cell engager tarlatamab-dlle plus a PD-L1 inhibitor had a median overall...
Sunvozertinib in Platinum-Pretreated NSCLC With EGFR Exon 20 Insertion Mutations
In a phase II trial (WU-KONG1B) reported in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, Yang et al found that the EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitor sunvozertinib was active at both dose levels tested in patients with platinum-pretreated non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) with EGFR exon 20 insertion mutations....
SABR May Be Comparable to Surgery for Early-Stage NSCLC
Stereotactic radiation therapy (SABR) was found to be noninferior to surgical resection in terms of overall survival for patients with early-stage non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), according to 10-year results from the STARS trial presented at the American Society for Radiation Oncology (ASTRO)...
Patrick Goodley, MBBChir, MRCP: What Is the Optimal Upper Age Limit for Lung Cancer Screening?
Patrick Goodley, MBBChir, MRCP, of Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust, reports results from a study that looked at treatment and survival rates in people aged 75 to 80 years diagnosed with screen-detected lung cancer in two targeted lung cancer screening implementation settings (Abstract PL03.19).
Zidesamtinib Shows Activity in Pretreated and Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitor–Naive Patients With ROS1-Positive NSCLC
Zidesamtinib, an investigational oral, highly selective ROS1 tyrosine kinase inhibitor designed to overcome common resistance mechanisms and improve brain penetration, has demonstrated activity in both pretreated and tyrosine kinase inhibitor–naive patients with ROS1-positive non–small cell lung...
Amivantamab Plus Lazertinib vs Osimertinib in EGFR-Mutated NSCLC: Overall Survival in MARIPOSA
As reported in The New England Journal of Medicine by Yang et al, the final overall survival analysis in the phase III MARIPOSA trial has shown significant benefit with amivantamab plus lazertinib vs osimertinib in patients with previously untreated EGFR-mutated advanced non–small cell lung cancer...
Perioperative Use of Nivolumab With or Without Ipilimumab for Resectable Diffuse Pleural Mesothelioma
Perioperative use of nivolumab with or without ipilimumab may prove to be of benefit for patients with resectable diffuse pleural mesothelioma, according to the findings of a phase II study published in Nature Medicine. Findings from the study were also presented during the International...
Gerrina Ruiter, MD, PhD, on Zongertinib in Patients With Previously Treated HER2-Mutant NSCLC and Baseline Brain Metastases
Gerrina Ruiter, MD, PhD, of the Netherlands Cancer Institute, discusses data from the Beamion LUNG-1 trial, which is evaluating zongertinib—an irreversible tyrosine kinase inhibitor that selectively inhibits HER2 while sparing EGFR—in patients with HER2-mutant advanced or metastatic non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). This analysis of the trial focused on previously treated patients with active brain metastases (cohort 4) or stable/asymptomatic brain metastases (cohort 1) at baseline (Abstract PT2.12.03).
Overall Survival Benefit Shown for Neoadjuvant Nivolumab Plus Chemotherapy in Non–Small Cell Lung Cancer
In the preplanned final analysis of the phase III CheckMate 816 trial, an overall survival benefit has been shown for neoadjuvant nivolumab plus chemotherapy in patients with resectable non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).1 Patients treated with the combination experienced an approximate 10%...
Osimertinib Plus Chemotherapy Significantly Prolongs Overall Survival in EGFR-Mutated Advanced NSCLC
The combination of the EGFR-targeting tyrosine kinase inhibitor osimertinib with platinum-based chemotherapy significantly improved overall survival as a first-line treatment for patients with EGFR-mutated, advanced, non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) compared with osimertinib monotherapy,...
City of Hope Awarded $23.7 Million to Map Biomarkers in NSCLC
City of Hope® has been awarded an up to $23.7 million contract from the Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health (ARPA-H) within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The grant will help City of Hope to create a biomap of tumor changes that cause immunotherapy resistance in advanced ...
New Approvals for Thrombocytopenia, Lung Cancer, Brain Cancer, and Multiple Myeloma
BTK Inhibitor for Chronic Immune Thrombocytopenia: On September 2, 2025, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved the Bruton’s tyrosine kinase (BTK) inhibitor rilzabrutinib (Wayrilz) tablets to treat adults with persistent or chronic immune thrombocytopenia (ITP) who have had an...
Proton Craniospinal Irradiation for Leptomeningeal Metastasis in Lung or Breast Cancer
In an interim analysis of a phase II trial reported in JAMA Oncology, Yang et al found that proton craniospinal irradiation (pCSI) improved central nervous system (CNS) progression-free survival vs photon involved-field radiotherapy (IFRT) in patients who have breast cancer or non–small cell lung...
David Gerber, MD, on ALK-Positive NSCLC: Crizotinib vs Observation for Surgically Resected Early-Stage Disease
David Gerber, MD, of UT Southwestern Medical Center, reviews findings from the phase III E4512 trial, which evaluated the hypothesis that postoperative crizotinib may improve disease-free survival in patients with surgically resected ALK-positive non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), based on the drug’s efficacy and regulatory approval in advanced ALK-positive NSCLC (Abstract PL02.18).
