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 and Neck Medical Oncology at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center and a member of LUNGevity

Tackling the Biggest Challenges in Cancer

Cancer Grand Challenges is a partnership between Cancer Research UK (CRUK) and the National Cancer Institute (NCI), which funds global teams of leading researchers across various scientific disciplines to tackle some of the toughest challenges in cancer research. As Dinah Singer, Acting Director of NCI’s Center for Strategic Scientific Initiatives says, “Cancer research is a global endeavor.” As LUNGevity’s Vice President of Global Engagement and Patient Partnerships, I recently attended the Cancer Grand Challenges (CGC) Summit March 8-10, 2023 in London. The CGC Summit featured an action

RET, MET, and EGFR: An unusual tale of three oncogenes in lung cancer

LUNGevity's Upal Basu Roy, PhD, MPH, Executive Director, Research, discusses innovative research into RET+ NSCLC with patient advocates and the scientist conducting the studies. Panelists include Omaima Salous (diagnosed with RET+ NSCLC and co-founder of The Hamoui Foundation), Dr. Hilary Hammell (diagnosed with RET+ NSCLC and co-chair of RETpositive), and Dr. Tejas Patil (Assistant Professor, University of Colorado). The discussion focuses on Dr. Patil’s RET+ NSCLC research project and why it matters to patients. This project is supported by a Hamoui Foundation/LUNGevity Foundation award for

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 dedicated to bringing these stakeholders together with the sole goal of discussing the development of

An Introduction to Squamous Cell Lung Cancer

Lung squamous cell carcinoma (LSCC), also called squamous cell lung cancer, is one of the major subtypes of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Fifty years ago, LSCC was the most common lung cancer diagnosis. LSCC was considered the classic smoker’s lung cancer, as most patients with LSCC had a history of smoking cigarettes. Today, the incidence of LSCC depends on where you live. In areas with decreasing smoking rates, we’ve also seen a reduction in the number of LSCC diagnoses. Overall, while lung adenocarcinoma is now the most common type of NSCLC in the US, approximately 15-30% of lung

Innovative Research Brings Potential New Class of Drugs for Patients with ALK-EML4 Fusion

Targeted therapies, or treatments directed towards specific biomarkers in tumor cells, have been effective in treating many patients with advanced-stage non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Tumors that have the ALK protein fused with another cancer-driving protein, such as the EML4 protein, are often referred to as ALK-positive tumors. Approximately 5% of advanced-stage adenocarcinoma, a type of NSCLC, will test positive for an ALK-fusion biomarker. Treating patients with ALK-positive lung cancer with a class of drugs called tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) has been an effective approach

Lung Cancer Treatment Landscape: New Options and Ongoing Challenges

Drs. Upal Basu Roy, Amy Moore, and Dhru Deb discuss their recent publication in which they presented an analysis of the lung cancer drug pipeline. They talk about what it means for patients, new drugs under development for NSCLC and SCLC, and some of the ongoing challenges and opportunities this rapid growth means for the lung cancer community.

Highlights of the 2022 AACR meeting

The American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) 2022 meeting was held in New Orleans from April 9 to 13. Doctors and researchers worldwide joined together virtually and in person to make this year’s meeting one of the largest gatherings since the start of the pandemic. They shared the many exciting developments in cancer research and treatment that emerged over the last year. This year’s meeting is another testament to “Science doesn’t stop, and scientists never sleep!” Here, we discuss some of the major highlights of the meeting. Cancer Interception and Early Detection: A major theme at