November 2021 – Lung Cancer

Montessa Lee’s pain persisted after an initial visit to the doctor and a misdiagnosis. Finally, an x-ray in the emergency room revealed a 15-cm mass on her left lung. Read how she turned anger into action.

For the first time, the use of immunotherapy after surgical removal of the tumor and chemotherapy has shown benefits in patients with early-stage non–small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and PD-L1 expression, a biomarker found in some patients with NSCLC.

On October 15, 2021, the FDA approved a new indication for Tecentriq (atezolizumab) for adjuvant (additional) treatment of patients with stage II-IIIA non–small-cell lung cancer and PD-L1 expression, after surgical removal of the tumor and chemotherapy. This is the first immunotherapy approved for patients with early-stage lung cancer.

On his lonely journey dealing with lung cancer, Ron Simmons found that connecting with others who had lung cancer helped him create a sense of purpose and gave him a mission moving forward.

On September 15, 2021, the FDA approved Exkivity (mobocertinib) capsules, an oral kinase inhibitor, for the treatment of adults with locally advanced or metastatic non–small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and EGFR exon 20 insertion mutations whose disease progressed during or after platinum-based chemotherapy, a cancer with few treatment options.

Combating malnutrition should be at the forefront of cancer care, as studies have shown that up to 80% of patients with cancer are malnourished at some point during their treatment. Dr. Spees describes a new clinical trial focused on improving the nutrition of patients with lung cancer.

Although most of the drugs being developed for lung cancer these days are for non–small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC), there may be a shift on the horizon as new treatment options emerge for patients with small-cell lung cancer.

Nurse practitioner Beth Faiman, PhD, MSN, an expert in multiple myeloma, briefly discusses the unique features of this uncurable but very treatable cancer, highlighting that getting what you want out of treatment requires arming yourself with knowledge about the disease, evaluating your treatment goals, familiarizing yourself with your treatment team, and becoming an active participant in your treatment.

It has become increasingly clear that lung cancer can be caused by different factors, including some environmental chemicals. Lung cancer in never smokers under the microscope.