IN THE SPOTLIGHT

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,…

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

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…

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…

Researchers Make New Inroads for EGFR Exon20+ NSCLC Patients

Researchers Make New Inroads for EGFR Exon20+ NSCLC Patients

While our bodies can have a wide range of naturally occurring, harmless mutations in different genes, some mutations, called driver mutations, are key to driving the development of cancer. There are many driver mutations. Researchers have been developing drugs that target specific driver mutations in lung cancer, creating therapies for those patients whose lung cancer harbors them. Early Targeting of EGFR In the early 2000s, EGFR was the first gene in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) to be…

Targeted Therapy Options for Patients with EGFR Exon20+ NSCLC

Targeted Therapy Options for Patients with EGFR Exon20+ NSCLC

Researchers have made tremendous progress in treating lung cancer by identifying key mutations in genes that drive the growth of lung cancer. Once these “driver” mutations are identified, researchers can work to target these mutations with specific treatments, called targeted therapies. FDA-approved targeted therapies exist for treating EGFR-positive NSCLC, or non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients whose tumors test positive for exon19 and exon21 L858R mutations in the EGFR (epidermal…

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 partnership…

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?

Important Advice for Patients with Newly Diagnosed EGFR-Positive Lung Cancer

Important Advice for Patients with Newly Diagnosed EGFR-Positive Lung Cancer

Lung cancer expert Dr. Zosia Piotrowska speaks with Dr. Amy Moore, LUNGevity’s VP of Global Engagement and Patient Partnerships, to discuss the key information everyone with newly diagnosed EGFR-positive lung cancer needs to know. Dr. Piotrowska is a researcher and thoracic oncologist at Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center.

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.

Lung Cancer Treatment Landscape: New Options and Ongoing Challenges

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.

New Options in Adjuvant Therapy for Early-Stage NSCLC

New Options in Adjuvant Therapy for Early-Stage NSCLC

Historically, surgery has been the most effective treatment for patients with early-stage non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). While technological improvements, such as the development of minimally invasive techniques (such as video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery or VATS), have made surgeries safer for patients, the ability to cure early-stage NSCLC patients hasn’t improved significantly in recent decades. Even after successful surgeries that completely remove the visible tumor, about half of…

Studying Drug Resistance From a New Angle

Studying Drug Resistance From a New Angle

The development of “targeted therapies” which block the function of mutant proteins within tumor cells has revolutionized the treatment landscape for many cancers, most of all lung cancer. EGFR is one such protein which is often altered (mutated) in lung cancers. Over the past decade, multiple EGFR targeted therapies have been developed, with each generation of drugs becoming increasingly potent. At present, patients with advanced EGFR-mutated lung cancer are treated with osimertinib (Tagrisso…