Just Diagnosed

Dr. Jack West reviews the Lung Cancer Master Protocol for second line treatment of patients with advanced squamous NSCLC, an "umbrella protocol" in which all patients undergo molecular testing and have treatment assigned by the results.

Dr. Ross Camidge talks about a clinical trial that will test to see if the drug tesevatinib will work to kill cancer that has progressed in the brains of EGFR-mutant lung cancer patients. The trial is scheduled to begin in late 2015 or early 2016.

Dr. Jack West reviews the concept of epigenetics, epigenetic priming, and whether oral azacytidine can improve outcomes in patients who receive immunotherapy for advanced lung cancer.

Dr. Ross Camidge discusses a clinical trial studying patients with advanced stage lung cancer to identify those who may respond to a drug called ponatinib. Both small cell and non small cell lung cancer patients may be eligible. http://bit.ly/UCponatinib

Dr. Jack West reviews treatment options for patients with an EGFR activating mutation and acquired resistance but no T790M mutation, focusing on a clinical trial with the novel hypoxia-induced pan-HER inhibitor TH4000.

Dr. Jack West summarizes the rationale for testing immune checkpoint inhibitors as a first line treatment for patients with advanced NSCLC and highlights details of two trials testing this question.

Drs. Ben Solomon, Leora Horn, & Jack West assess the utility and limitations of "liquid biopsies", serum-based testing for molecular marker testing in lung cancer.

Drs. Leora Horn, Ben Solomon, & Jack West consider the merits of administering immune checkpoint inhibitors concurrently with standard first line chemotherapy or targeted therapy vs. sequential treatment.

Dr. Jack West asks the question of whether newer, more active ALK inhibitors such as alectinib should be used as first line therapy rather than for acquired resistance, including introducing the ALEX trial that is trying to answer this question.

Drs. Ben Solomon, Leora Horn, & Jack West consider whether immunotherapy might prove to be more problematic when given to a broader population of older and frail patients with advanced lung cancer.