ASCO 2020 – Lung Cancer

ASCO 2020 Lung Cancer Highlights

Although the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) 2020 meeting was held virtually because of the COVID-19 pandemic, hundreds of abstracts, posters, and presentations were still made available to inform clinicians on the latest developments in the treatment of lung cancer. This publication features some of the key highlights from the meeting, which can be used to improve the management and care of patients with the disease.

Impact of Immune-Related Adverse Events on Checkpoint Inhibitor Consolidation Therapy in Stage III NSCLC

Immune-related adverse events did not affect the clinical benefit of consolidation checkpoint inhibitor therapy after chemoradiation in stage III non–small-cell lung cancer.

Patterns of Acquired Resistance in Patients with NSCLC Who Receive PD-1 Inhibitors

The frequency and durability of outcomes associated with acquired resistance to PD-1 inhibition in non–small-cell lung cancer are presented.

Characteristics of Patients Who Achieve Long-Term Response with PD-1 Blockade

The characteristics of long-term responders to PD-1 blockade are presented.

Smoking Cessation and Lung Cancer: Recent Quitters Benefit Too

For oncologists and others who advocate for smoking cessation, it is important to know whether recent quitters who are diagnosed with lung cancer can achieve a survival benefit.

Weekly Epirubicin as Second-Line Therapy for Malignant Pleural Mesothelioma

Weekly epirubicin was evaluated as a potential “gentle” option for second-line chemotherapy in patients with malignant pleural mesothelioma after failure of first-line pemetrexed-based chemotherapy.

ADAURA Results: Osimertinib as Adjuvant Therapy for EGFR-Mutated NSCLC

Approximately 30% of patients with non–small-cell lung cancer present with early-stage (I-IIIA) disease and undergo surgery. Researchers assessed the use of adjuvant osimertinib in this population.

Retrospective Data Suggest Role for Immunotherapy in Patients with Large-Cell Neuroendocrine Carcinoma

Despite the approval of immune checkpoint inhibitors for patients with lung cancers, their role in rare pulmonary tumors, such as large-cell neuroendocrine carcinoma of the lung, has remained unclear.

Cediranib Combined with Olaparib Is Active in Patients with Platinum-Pretreated SCLC

Patients with platinum-pretreated small-cell lung cancer may benefit from combination use of cediranib, an oral VEGF inhibitor, and olaparib, a PARP inhibitor.

Nationwide Genomic Screening Network Can Be Effective in Identifying Rare Targetable Genetic Alterations

Developing novel targeted therapies for patients with cancer who have rare mutations, such as PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway alterations, is particularly challenging for researchers.