Welcome to the 2024 fall edition of the newsletter from the SCLC Patient Gateway—your place for the latest research and information about small cell lung cancer (SCLC).
It has been an exciting few months with advances and new developments in the treatment of SCLC. Results of the ADRIATIC trial were presented at the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) meeting in June and at the European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO) meeting in September. In this trial, patients with limited-stage SCLC who received consolidative immunotherapy (durvalumab) following concurrent chemoradiation demonstrated improved survival compared to patients who received placebo. Adding durvalumab to these patients’ treatment plans showed a survival benefit.
There has also been a lot of forward momentum in developing new approaches to treat SCLC, including antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs) and bispecific T-cell engagers (BiTES). ADCs are a form of targeted therapy in which the treatment is made up of an antibody that is attached to a chemotherapy drug. The antibody binds to the cancer cell and brings the chemotherapy drug with it. This allows the drug to selectively kill the cancer cell while leaving healthy cells unharmed. BiTEs work by bringing cancer cells and immune cells close to each other and allowing the immune cells to kill the cancer cells.
Tarlatamab is an FDA-approved BiTE that is showing promise for people with extensive-stage SCLC. The median overall survival in patients receiving this treatment was 14 months. The concern with treatments like tarlatamab is that they can cause the immune system to go into overdrive, a reaction known as cytokine release syndrome (CRS). Also, it can result in a rare brain side effect called ICANS. Because of these concerns, patients receiving this treatment should be monitored closely.
Together, the use of immunotherapy, ADCs, and BiTES is showing a lot of promise in the treatment of SCLC, and researchers and patients are feeling a renewed sense of hope that we will continue to make progress that will improve and extend lives.
Research News
OncLive
Tarlatamab in Combination Therapy: Future Potential for SCLC
Published Oct 21, 2024
OncLive
Fox Chase Cancer Center Researchers Find Gene That Triggers Immune Response in Treatment-Resistant Small-Cell Lung Cancer
Published Oct 21, 2024
OncLive
Adverse Event Management: CRS and ICANS with Tarlatamab
Published Oct 21, 2024
Targeted Oncology
Immunotherapy Instills Renewed Promise in SCLC
Published Sep 26, 2024
Targeted Oncology
Durvalumab Consolidation Extends Survival in LS-SCLC, ADRIATIC Findings Show
Published Sep 25, 2024
OncLive
Dr Sands on the Evolving Role of ADCs in SCLC Management
Published Jul 25, 2024
Clinical Trials Arena
Amgen’s Imdelltra BiTEs into SCLC treatment drought
Published Jul 12, 2024
World News
FDA approves drug for persistently deadly form of lung cancer
Published Jul 11, 2024
Get Connected
Lung Cancer Experts Available Until December 31
The live event has passed, but you can still experience the International Lung Cancer Survivorship Conference (ILCSC) on your own schedule. Free access to this virtual education conference and Lung Cancer Basics Series is available until December 31. Register today.
Join Us for the SCLC Virtual Meetup
This is an easy way to build your community. On the third Wednesday of each month, you can connect with others who understand what it’s like to live with SCLC. The next SCLC Meetup is happening on November 20, 2024, at 3 pm ET. Register for free for this virtual meetup to get a confirmation email with details about how to join the virtual meeting. New attendees are always welcome and encouraged to join!
Can’t make it? Don’t worry, there’s a full list of virtual meetups to fit your schedule.
Have You Seen?
Small Cell Smashers Fireside Chats
Don’t miss this webinar series! Each month, the Small Cell Smashers patient group and LUNGevity come together to highlight the latest discoveries and breakthroughs in SCLC. The recorded webinar featuring our October expert — Dr. Christine Lovly, a physician-scientist with a focus on SCLC at Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center — is ready for you to watch.
Eating Healthy on the Mediterranean Diet
Oncology dietitian Lori Bumbaco takes us on a culinary journey, exploring why experts consistently rank the Mediterranean diet as the number one choice for healthy eating. Watch the webinar to see how easy and enjoyable it can be to prepare Mediterranean-inspired dishes that are both delicious and nutritious.
Get More SCLC Research News
Science experts from LUNGevity dive into the news from the recent scientific conferences. With one article focused on exclusively on SCLC and one on screening and early detection, there is a lot of hope on the horizon.
Understanding Clinical Trials
Clinical trials are an important part of getting treatments approved for use in patients, but sometimes the results can be tricky to understand. In a three-part series, LUNGevity Foundation helps break down what clinical trials are, how to interpret the results, and how the FDA uses clinical trial results to bring safe and effective treatments to
patients.
… and there is always so much more to explore on the SCLC Patient Gateway.
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If you are looking for more LUNGevity Foundation news, check out LUNGevity’s monthly newsletter.
If you need further assistance along your lung cancer journey, please email us at support@lungevity.org. Our team is always here to assist you.
