Lung Cancer

Findings may help with the selection problem of which ALK inhibitor to use, as the number of treatments in that category for non-small cell lung cancer has increased.

Treatment advances for HER-2 mutant non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) have lagged behind those for other oncogene-driven NSCLC. Positive results for Hernexeos (zongertinib) may change that.

The FDA has assigned a Prescription Drug User Fee Act (PDUFA) target action date of Feb. 27, 2027, for zipalertinib to treat patients with locally advanced or metastatic non-small cell lung cancer epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) exon 20 insertion mutations

How old a person appears may offer insight into how long they live after treatment for early-stage lung cancer.

A first-in-human study finds a novel KRAS G12D–targeted protein degrader produces encouraging responses, particularly in previously treated NSCLC.

A large prospective study in China that examined lung cancer risk after a negative baseline screen found that risk persists and can increase over time. Notably, there was no meaningful difference in risk during the first two years after a negative scan, but by year three, the gap became significant and continued to grow.

In patients with newly diagnosed, advanced non-small cell lung cancer, researchers find that a sequential approach of radiation first and treatment with immunotherapy afterward results in a notable increase in overall survival.

A retrospective study found similar survival outcomes whether immunotherapy was started with the first chemotherapy cycle or delayed to later cycles in patients with extensive-stage small cell lung cancer.

A nationwide analysis of adults newly diagnosed with non-small cell lung cancer found that Medicaid expansion was associated with earlier-stage diagnosis, more timely initiation of guideline-concordant treatment and improved five-year survival.

A study published this week found that Black Medicare beneficiaries with early-stage NSCLC remain significantly less likely than White beneficiaries to receive curative treatment, largely because of lower surgery rates.

Blocking the protein P2RX7 in regulatory T cells boosted antibody responses, and this discovery could one day lead to strategies for enhancing existing immunotherapies in non-small lung cancer.

A treatment may improve quality of life through one pathway but worsen it through another, obscuring the treatment's quality of life benefit in the analysis of some clinical trials.

A new economic evaluation finds that pairing extended counseling with a brief course of nicotine replacement therapy offers the best value for health systems integrating smoking cessation into lung cancer screening.

A meta-analysis of more than 20 phase 3 trials found no clear survival differences by sex or age in metastatic NSCLC but reported better outcomes for Asian patients and continued underrepresentation of Black patients.

Lung cancer remains the leading cause of cancer deaths in the U.S. in 2026 and is expected to account for an estimated 229,410 new cases.

The ADRIATIC trial showed that adding Imfinzi (durvalumab) improved both progression-free and overall survival of patients with limited-stage small cell lung cancer (LS-SCLC). However, the treatment increased costs by about $138,000 compared with usual care, highlighting concerns about affordability and financial impact.

In a study of more than 31,000 adults, an EHR-integrated patient-facing tool significantly improved identification of patients eligible for lung cancer screening by more accurately ascertaining smoking history.

A new analysis suggests that Medicaid expansion was linked to lower mortality for patients with resectable non-small cell lung cancer, with survival benefits emerging gradually and persisting over time.

In a cohort study of 496 lung cancer survivors, 11.5% had a recurrence during a five-year follow-up period, and 5.6% had cancer outside the lungs.

Researchers found that less than half (43.8%) of the patients underwent surveillance imaging consistent with recommended guidelines.

A national survey of 157 patients with non-small cell lung cancer found that all groups prioritized extending life, but treatment preferences, including concerns about side effects and quality-of-life tradeoffs, differed across racial and ethnic groups.

Tumor infiltrating lymphocyte (TIL) therapy uses immune cells harvested directly from a patient’s tumor.

A study of more than 4,600 Medicare patients links treatment with Keytruda (pembrolizumab) to improved survival outcomes in adults 66 and older treated for metastatic non-small cell lung cancer.

The national five-year survival rate for lung cancer has climbed to nearly 30%, up from 18% from eight years ago, according to the American Lung Association.