Charles B. Simone, II, MD, on NSCLC: CTCs as a Biomarker for Early Detection
2017 Multidisciplinary Thoracic Cancers Symposium
Charles B. Simone, II, MD, of the University of Maryland Medical Center, discusses results from a large prospective study in locally advanced non–small cell lung cancer, which suggest that circulating tumor cells may be a promising biomarker of progressive or recurrent disease and may help guide early salvage treatment strategies (Abstract 3).
Maximilian Diehn, MD, PhD, of Stanford School of Medicine, discusses promising clinical applications of circulating tumor DNA in patients with thoracic malignancies: noninvasive detection of resistance mechanisms to targeted agents and treatment response assessment.
Boris Sepesi, MD, of The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, discusses immune cells within tumors and the potential role for checkpoint inhibitor therapy in the neoadjuvant setting of locally advanced lung cancer (Abstract 7).
Zofia Piotrowska, MD, of the Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center, discusses heterogeneity and variation in resistance mechanisms among EGFR-mutant non–small cell lung cancer patients with at least one postresistance biopsy (Abstract 1).
Tracey L. Evans, MD, of the University of Pennsylvania, discusses the data supporting use of chemotherapy with radiation in locally advanced non–small cell lung cancer, targeted treatments and immunotherapy, and some of the controversies now debated.
Jennifer Ho, MD, of The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer, discusses study results on the use of intensity-modulated proton therapy, which can provide durable local control with minimal toxicity in patients who can have extended survivals; the data also suggest that higher doses may improve outcomes (Abstract 5).
