What are biomarkers, why do they matter, and what should every person living with lung cancer know about getting tested? Dr. Ross Camidge, a world-renowned thoracic oncologist and lung cancer researcher at the University of Colorado, joins Ann Steagall and Dr. Misty Shields to explain the ins and outs of biomarkers. Dr. Camidge helped pioneer biomarker testing as a standard of care, but he also brings the patient perspective as well - he was diagnosed with EGFR-mutant non-small cell lung cancer several years ago. They discuss what biomarkers are, how biomarker testing works, why you might need to repeat your testing over time, and why you should know your biomarker status before you begin treatment.
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Featured Guest:
Dr. Ross Camidge, Lung cancer expert and survivor
Dr. Ross Camidge received his PhD in Molecular Biology at Cambridge University, UK, and his MD at Oxford University before becoming the first person to double-train in Medical Oncology and Clinical Pharmacology in the UK. He joined the University of Colorado in 2005. Dr Camidge’s main clinical and research interests are thoracic malignancies and developmental therapeutics, and the discoveries he and his team have made have changed the standard of care for the treatment of lung cancer multiple times.
He has authored over 350 academic publications and received numerous awards, and has been called a “Luminary in the quest to eradicate lung cancer" and "one of the leading minds in lung cancer today.” In 2025, Dr. Camidge went public with his diagnosis of non-small cell lung cancer and now speaks from both a patient and world expert perspective.
The more you know about the cancer, the more every decision you make is informed.
-Dr. Ross Camidge, lung cancer world expert and survivor
Key Topics Discussed in This Episode:
- Biomarker testing in lung cancer—a patient and expert perspective: Dr. Camidge shares his experience being diagnosed with EGFR-mutant lung cancer, and what it's like to go from pioneering biomarker testing as a standard of care to navigating it as a patient
- What is biomarker testing and why does it matter for lung cancer treatment: Dr. Camidge explains what biomarkers are, why the results directly shape treatment decisions, and how to avoid the wrong treatment by getting the right test
- The evolution of lung cancer biomarker testing: From single-gene tests to next-generation sequencing that looks for ten or more genomic markers, plus newer protein-based tests guiding emerging therapies
- Liquid biopsy vs. tissue biopsy for lung cancer: When a liquid biopsy result can be trusted, why a negative result doesn't always mean no biomarker is present, and when a tissue biopsy is needed
- Who should get lung cancer biomarker testing and when: Why testing is now recommended across all stages and subtypes, and why knowing your biomarker status before starting any treatment—including surgery—can change your options
- Repeat biomarker testing and treatment resistance: Why lung cancer biomarkers can change over time, when patients need to be re-tested, and how understanding resistance can open the door to new treatment options
If you don't have a specific biomarker identified, you've got to ask the question: was the testing complete?
-Dr. Ross Camidge, lung cancer world expert and survivor
Resources & Support:
- Biomarker Testing: What it is, why it matters, and how to ask your team about it
- LUNGevity’s No One Missed: Biomarker testing information for lung cancer
- What to Ask Your Doctor: Questions to guide your treatment conversations at every step
- LUNGevity Patient Gateways: Information and resources specific to your lung cancer type
- EGFR Resistors: Patient-led community for people living with EGFR-positive lung cancer
- ALK Positive: Community for patients with ALK-positive lung cancer
- ROS1ders: Community for patients with ROS1-positive lung cancer
- Virtual Meetups: Connect with other lung cancer patients and survivors, including LUNGevity's weekly Tuesday calls