IN THE SPOTLIGHT

Screening and Early Detection of Lung Cancer: Highlights from WCLC and ESMO 2024

Screening and Early Detection of Lung Cancer: Highlights from WCLC and ESMO 2024

Lung cancer screening and early detection were major topics of discussion at the World Conference on Lung Cancer (WCLC), held in San Diego from September 7-10, and the European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO) conference in Barcelona from September 13-17. This fourth and final blog in our series of updates summarizes highlights from these discussions. You can read the other update blogs from these fall science meetings: Metastatic NSCLC Highlights  Small Cell Lung Cancer…

Small Cell SMASHERS Fireside Chat with Dr. Christine Lovly - Video

Small Cell SMASHERS Fireside Chat with Dr. Christine Lovly - Video

Missed the Facebook Live? Watch the video!On Tuesday, October 8, Christine Lovly, MD, PhD, discussed the importance of clinical trials and the role of translational research in small cell lung cancer (SCLC). The discussion was moderated by Misty Shields, MD, IU Health, and LUNGevity’s Amy C. Moore, PhD and VP of Global Engagement and Research Partnerships. This monthly virtual series highlights the latest discoveries and breakthroughs for SCLC.

How Do Drugs Get Approved (and Fast-Tracked) by the FDA?

How Do Drugs Get Approved (and Fast-Tracked) by the FDA?

Read time: 5 minutes.  This is Part 3 in our series on how drugs get approved to treat lung cancer.  Part 1: Understanding Clinical Trials - Why Are They Important for Drug Development? Part 2: How We Define Success for a Clinical Trial The United States federal government aims to regulate prescription drugs to ensure people are receiving medication that’s safe and effective. Every prescribed drug in the U.S. has gone through a rigorous testing process that can…

How We Define Success for a Clinical Trial

How We Define Success for a Clinical Trial

Read time: 6 minutes. This is Part 2 of 3 in our series on how drugs get approved to treat lung cancer. Make sure to read Part 1 on the phases of clinical trials and why they are important for new drug development. We all want a treatment for lung cancer that is completely safe and entirely effective. While researchers are working toward that goal, the reality is we aren’t there yet. Every treatment we are considering comes with potential benefits and side effects. The…

Understanding Clinical Trials: Why Are They Important for Drug Development?

Understanding Clinical Trials: Why Are They Important for Drug Development?

Read time: 3 minutes.This is Part 1 in a 3-part series explaining how new drugs and treatments get approved to treat lung cancer. Parts 2 and 3 will be published in the coming weeks.Have you ever wondered how a new medicine or drug to treat lung cancer is brought to the people who need it? That’s what clinical trials help us do.According to the National Cancer Institute, a clinical trial is a type of research study that tests how well new medical approaches (such as screening tests, prevention…

New NCCN Guidelines for Patients

New NCCN Guidelines for Patients

The National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) is an alliance of leading cancer centers across the United States working together to improve cancer care. NCCN develops evidence-based cancer care recommendations used by healthcare providers worldwide, and they release a companion version of the guidelines specifically for people with cancer and their caregivers.The newly updated and published guidelines for patients with small cell lung cancer can be viewed, downloaded, and printed here. Learn…

Countdown to ILCSC24: Bringing the World’s Experts Right to Your Living Room

Countdown to ILCSC24: Bringing the World’s Experts Right to Your Living Room

Read time: 3 minutes.  One of LUNGevity’s two flagship survivorship events, the International Lung Cancer Survivorship Conference (ILCSC), is being held virtually September 20 – 21, 2024. This is a free, online event that allows people with lung cancer and caregivers from around the world to join from the comfort of their own homes and hear from a star-studded lineup of lung cancer experts discussing the latest advances in research and treatment.  You can register today for…

How Can Patients and Researchers Design Clinical Trials Together?

How Can Patients and Researchers Design Clinical Trials Together?

Read time: 2 minutes.  Traditionally, people associate getting involved in lung cancer research with enrolling in a clinical trial. But most don’t realize they can also partner with researchers behind the scenes and get involved in designing clinical trials.  In the first of a three-part series, Rising Tide Foundation for Clinical Cancer Research has partnered with LUNGevity to understand the role people with lung cancer can play in developing clinical trials. Through panelist…

New Treatment Approved for Patients with Extensive Stage SCLC

New Treatment Approved for Patients with Extensive Stage SCLC

On May 16, 2024, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced the accelerated approval of tarlatamab-dlle (Imdelltra®) to treat patients with extensive-stage small cell lung cancer (SCLC). This targeted immunotherapy, the first of its kind, is based on new technology. Tarlatamab is a bispecific T-cell engager (BiTE)—a drug with two arms that simultaneously binds to a T cell (a part of the immune system) and a tumor cell. This allows the T cell to come close enough to the tumor cell…

Safely Bring Yoga, Dietary Supplements, Exercise, and More into Your Lung Cancer Journey

Safely Bring Yoga, Dietary Supplements, Exercise, and More into Your Lung Cancer Journey

Read time: 2 minutesIntegrative oncology adds holistic approaches—such as acupuncture, nutrition, exercise, and mindfulness—into a treatment plan. Research shows these interventions can have a tremendous impact on people going through lung cancer treatment and their quality of life. Unfortunately, they are also topics riddled with myths and falsehoods. LUNGevity spoke to an expert to help sort out the facts from the fiction. In the webinar below, Gabriel Lopez, MD, medical director of…

Chemo Shortage Didn’t Materialize ‘The Way We Initially Feared’

Chemo Shortage Didn’t Materialize ‘The Way We Initially Feared’

This March, LUNGevity Foundation partnered with CURE for their “Speaking Out” video series, inviting Amy Moore, PhD, vice president of global engagement and patient partnerships at LUNGevity Foundation, to discuss recent chemotherapy shortages. During the interview, Dr. Moore addressed the critical issues posed by the chemotherapy shortage, offering valuable insights into its origins, impact on people with lung cancer, available alternatives, and ongoing efforts to address disparities. Her…

Despite Challenges, Treatment Advances for SCLC

Despite Challenges, Treatment Advances for SCLC

This March, LUNGevity Foundation partnered with CURE for their ”Speaking Out” video series, featuring Amy Moore, PhD, vice president of global engagement and patient partnerships at LUNGevity Foundation. This interview with Dr. Moore delves into recent breakthroughs in the treatment of small cell lung cancer (SCLC). Dr. Moore discusses significant advances highlighted in clinical trials, such as the IMpower133 and CASPIAN studies, demonstrating the efficacy of combining immunotherapy with…

Small Cell Lung Cancer 101

Small Cell Lung Cancer 101

Join small cell lung cancer expert Lauren Byers, MD, as she covers the key things patients need to know about SCLC in 30 minutes.  Dr. Byers is a professor in the Department of Thoracic-Head & Neck Medical Oncology at MD Anderson Cancer Center. She is also a physician-scientist and a member of LUNGevity’s Scientific Advisory Board. The following topics are discussed at the times indicated:0:00 – 5:03 Introduction and explanation of what small cell lung cancer (SCLC) is5:03 –…

Lung Cancer Masterclass: Get Smart About Lung Cancer

Lung Cancer Masterclass: Get Smart About Lung Cancer

In the past five years, the lung cancer community has seen an astonishing number of new treatments. As our understanding of lung cancer has deepened, the older treatment approaches have also become more effective and efficient.  These options are fantastic steps toward improving the overall survival and quality of life for people living with lung cancer, but it can be difficult for patients and caregivers to keep track of the new drug treatments and scientific advancements. …

Questions to Ask About Clinical Trials

Questions to Ask About Clinical Trials

Asking your doctor and medical team questions about clinical trials is a helpful way to decide if they are a good fit for you. You may already have some in mind, but a few basic questions to ask and get answered before making a decision are:Do you know of any clinical trials for my type and stage of lung cancer?What are the benefits and risks of this clinical trial?What are the eligibility guidelines?How long does the study last?Will you still be in charge of my care?What are the costs, and…

Clinical Trial Phases

Clinical Trial Phases

The four phases of lung cancer clinical trials each serve a different and important purpose. From testing the safety of a new treatment to its effectiveness and long-term outcomes, this short video explains how researchers use clinical trials for new lung cancer treatments.Phases of a Clinical Trial:1. Safety of the new treatment 2. Does the cancer respond to the treatment 3. Is this new treatment better than the current options 4. Studies the long-term benefits and side effects

What Is a Clinical Trial

What Is a Clinical Trial

Lung cancer clinical trials are carefully designed research studies to evaluate and learn more about new drugs and treatments. They give people the ability to participate in lung cancer research and access to new treatments that otherwise may not be available to them, all under the close supervision of medical experts. 

Watch Recorded Expert Sessions From ILCSC

Watch Recorded Expert Sessions From ILCSC

The International Lung Cancer Survivorship Conference (ILCSC) is a free virtual educational conference for people with lung cancer, caregivers, and advocates. The 2023 conference was held September 22-23.  The recorded sessions from this conference are available to registered participants through December 21, 2023, at www.lungevity.org/ilcsc. If you did not register for the conference but would like to view the recordings, you may still register for free access. The recordings are…

Decentralized Trials: Bringing Clinical Trials Closer to the Patient

Decentralized Trials: Bringing Clinical Trials Closer to the Patient

While participating in clinical trials can provide substantial benefits to people with lung cancer, the resources required to do so may pose significant hurdles, especially to those who don’t live close to where trials are held, such as academic medical centers or major oncology network sites. Decentralized clinical trials remove some hurdles to trial participation for patients and are thus important for improving trial access for larger and more diverse groups of people. The U.S. Food and Drug…

Navigating Hope: How Comprehensive Biomarker Testing is Guiding Lung Cancer Care

Navigating Hope: How Comprehensive Biomarker Testing is Guiding Lung Cancer Care

Join us for a discussion on lung cancer biomarkers to learn what biomarker testing is, why it’s important, and how it can be used to optimize your treatment plans. We are thrilled to welcome our panelists: Balazs Halmos, MD, a thoracic medical oncologist from Montefiore Medical Center in New York; Elizabeth Ravera, a patient navigator at Montefiore; and a patient living with lung cancer who tested positive for the ALK biomarker. The panel is moderated by LUNGevity's Amy Moore, PhD, VP of Global…

The Basics of Neuroendocrine Tumors (NETs)

The Basics of Neuroendocrine Tumors (NETs)

Our lung tissue is made of different kinds of cells, including neuroendocrine cells. If these cells develop changes in their genome, they can begin to grow out of control and become tumors. Large cell lung cancer (which is the rarest form of non-small cell lung cancer) and small cell lung cancer (also referred to as SCLC) are both neuroendocrine tumors (NETs), derived from neuroendocrine cells in the lungs. LUNGevity spoke with Lauren Byers, MD, professor in the Department of Thoracic/Head…

Highlights of the 2023 Small Cell Lung Cancer IASLC Hot Topics Meeting

Highlights of the 2023 Small Cell Lung Cancer IASLC Hot Topics Meeting

The first week of April definitely started with a bang! After the 2019 in-person small cell lung cancer (SCLC) meeting—convened by the International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer (IASLC) and hosted by Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer in New York—the pandemic hit us in 2020. The 2021 meeting was virtual, so it was absolutely amazing to be back in person at the 2023 Small Cell Lung Cancer IASLC Hot Topics Meeting, again at Memorial Sloan Kettering.This meeting is a testament to all the…

Finding Clinical Trials for Lung Cancer: Tools and Resources

Finding Clinical Trials for Lung Cancer: Tools and Resources

Clinical trials are an important option for patients because the newest treatment approaches, not available otherwise, are being tested in them. Clinical trial research leads to more advancements and potential treatment options, and the therapies used today were once tested in clinical trials. Continued progress is only possible if patients with lung cancer volunteer to participate in the clinical trial process.  There are many ongoing clinical trials testing new lung cancer treatments,…

Real-World Drug Development at the Targeted Therapies of Lung Cancer Meeting

Real-World Drug Development at the Targeted Therapies of Lung Cancer Meeting

The development of new treatments for any disease relies on the collaborative efforts of many different stakeholders, such as scientists, clinicians, patient advocacy groups, regulators, and pharmaceutical and biotech companies. During scientific conferences that happen throughout the year, stakeholders cobble together opportunities to discuss the current state of treatments and strategize ways to bring emerging lifesaving treatments to patients. Each year, there is one key conference…

Ask Your Oncologist the Right Questions

Ask Your Oncologist the Right Questions

Communication is critical to a positive doctor-patient relationship. Knowing the right questions to ask helps ensure you leave your appointments with the information and answers you need. Being prepared may also lessen anxiety and help provide a sense of control. Meeting with your oncologist, especially when first diagnosed or deciding on a treatment plan, are times when being prepared with questions is necessary.   LUNGevity has downloadable lists of questions that you can bring to…

Treatment Options for Small Cell Lung Cancer

Treatment Options for Small Cell Lung Cancer

This webinar offers a detailed overview of SCLC treatment, including the important elements of a treatment plan. It features Narjust Florez, MD, medical oncologist at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and associate professor at Harvard. The webinar is moderated by Amy Moore, PhD, VP of Global Engagement and Patient Partnerships at LUNGevity Foundation. This activity is supported by an educational grant from Jazz Pharmaceuticals, Inc.

How Metastatic Brain Tumors Affect Your Lung Cancer Care

How Metastatic Brain Tumors Affect Your Lung Cancer Care

Brain metastases are known to occur in approximately 25% of patients diagnosed with lung cancer. This webinar dives into the details of brain metastasis in lung cancer to explore their signs and symptoms. It also includes a discussion of treatment considerations. Through this webinar, you will learn to: Understand how brain metastasis occurs Keep an eye out for signs & symptoms of brain mets Understand treatment options and management techniques This webinar was created in…

Understanding Pulmonary Rehab

Understanding Pulmonary Rehab

Pulmonary rehab expert Debbie Koehl, MS, RRT-NPS, AE-C, FAARC, speaks to LUNGevity's Survivorship Navigator, Kristi Griffith, to explain what pulmonary rehabilitation is, explore the benefits of pulmonary rehabilitation, and gain key insights about how to obtain pulmonary rehabilitation for yourself or a loved one. The discussion is followed by an informal Q&A with other lung cancer survivors. This recording was made during one of LUNGevity Foundation's Virtual Meetups -- a free resource…

Pneumonitis: A Common Side Effect

Pneumonitis: A Common Side Effect

In this video, nurse practitioner Lauren Welch, MSN, NP-C, AOCNP, from the Sarah Cannon Research Institute at Tennessee Oncology offers a quick review of pneumonitis - a common side effect of some lung cancer treatments. Survivors and caregivers can learn: What is pneumonitis? What causes it? How is it treated? What symptoms should we look out for?

Introduction to Radiation Therapy

Introduction to Radiation Therapy

Lung cancer survivor Jill Feldman joins radiation therapy experts Drs. Drew Moghanaki and Kristin Higgins to provide an overview of radiation therapy – including discussions of when this treatment is recommended, how the treatment is administered, and which side effects are most common.