Drs. Ben Solomon, Leora Horn, & Jack West discuss whether the data highlighting cognitive deficits from whole brain radiation therapy (WBRT) for patients with brain metastases should change our recommendations for prophylactic cranial irradiation (PCI).

Drs. Leora Horn, Ben Solomon, & Jack West debate whether results from a European trial of chest radiation after chemotherapy for extensive stage small cell lung cancer should lead to a change in treatment for this setting.

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

Guest post by Dr. Cathy Pietanza, a board-certified medical oncologist at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York. She specializes in cancers that arise in the lungs and cares for a large number of patients with small cell lung cancer (SCLC).

Dr. Vivek Mehta, radiation oncologist, reviews the basic principles and treatment approach for limited stage small cell lung cancer, which combines chest radiation with concurrent chemotherapy.

Why radiate a perfectly good brain? Dr. Vivek Mehta, radiation oncologist, discusses the possible role for prophylactic cranial irradiation (PCI) for extensive stage small cell lung cancer (SCLC) to decrease risk of brain metastases and improve survival.

Radiation to the brain is a component of our treatment of limited stage small cell lung cancer, even with no evidence of cancer there. Dr. Vivek Mehta, radiation oncologist, reviews why we would do such a thing.

The current standard of care for SCLC shows limited results with high toxicities. Drs. Soria, Gandhi, and West discuss new ASCO 2015 data that show promise for a subset of patients with PD-L1 expression on Keytruda (pembrolizumab) or Opdivo (nivolumab).

[powerpress]

Guest post by Dr. Nate Pennell, a board certified medical oncologist at the Taussig Cancer Center at the Cleveland Clinic. He specializes in the treatment of thoracic malignancies with a focus on lung cancer. Dr.

Guest post by Dr. Cathy Pietanza, a board-certified medical oncologist at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York. She specializes in cancers that arise in the lungs and cares for a large number of patients with small cell lung cancer (SCLC).