Transforming Lung Cancer Through Science

Welcome to Research Advances, LUNGevity’s quarterly e-newsletter designed to make the latest lung cancer research accessible and understandable. Whether you're a patient, caregiver, advocate, or healthcare professional, our goal is to help you stay up to date on important research developments in lung cancer.

In this issue, we continue our coverage of lung cancer research to bring you key lung cancer highlights from ASCO's Annual Meeting, an insightful editorial examining disparities in lung cancer outcomes, and an exciting spotlight on innovative research that addresses a critical patient need. You'll also find news about a recent FDA approval that expands treatment options for people living with lung cancer.

Recent Conferences

Science Conference Highlights

Lung Cancer Highlights from the Annual ASCO Meeting
Below is a summary of key lung cancer news from the biggest oncology conference in the world: the annual meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology. This conference, held May 29 – June 2 in Chicago, offered practice-changing insights and exciting data about new opportunities for treating many types of lung cancer.

Explore these meeting highlights:

More Research Updates are Coming 
Join LUNGevity at the 2026 World Conference on Lung Cancer to stay current on the latest innovations shaping lung cancer care. Can’t make it to Seoul, South Korea? No problem. Follow us on X for live coverage of the meeting @LUNGevity #WCLC26 from Sept 12–15.  And be on the lookout for LUNGevity’s post-conference takeaways.

Featured Research

Fewer Locations, Bigger Barriers: What’s Happening to Clinical Trial Access 

Editorial on Lung Cancer Disparities
Lung cancer research has transformed what’s possible for patients, with five-year survival rates more than doubling since the 1970s and new treatment approaches helping people live longer, fuller lives. However, as discussed by LUNGevity’s Executive Director of Research Upal Basu Roy, PhD, MPH, data shows that not everyone is benefiting equally from this progress. He explores where progress is happening, where gaps remain, and how research, policy, and trusted community engagement can help ensure every person with lung cancer benefits from today’s scientific advances. Read the editorial.

A New Model for Timely Lung Nodule Care
Too often, people with suspicious lung findings on CT scans don’t receive appropriate follow-up care. This leads to delayed diagnoses and worse patient outcomes. Neel Chudgar, MD, of Montefiore Einstein Cancer Center, and recipient of LUNGevity’s 2021 Health Equity and Inclusiveness Junior Investigator Award, is building systems to change that. His lung nodule clinic is connecting patients to timely care, already leading to more than 100 lung cancer diagnoses, including about 60 lung cancers caught at stage I. The program is improving early detection, advancing health equity, and creating a model for other health systems to follow. Learn more.

Science Spotlight

The Latest in Lung Cancer

LUNGevity is proud to announce a new research project with a fresh take on assessing lung cancer risk and personalizing lung cancer care for patients with multifocal lung cancer.

Grading Tumors to Optimize Patient Care
When patients develop multiple lung tumors, it can be difficult to determine which tumors need treatment right away and which can be safely monitored. Elio Adib, MD, of Mass General Brigham, is tackling this challenge through innovative research that uses advanced single-cell technologies to better understand how tumors evolve.

Using molecular signatures, Dr. Adib aims to create a “report card” that reveals where a tumor falls along the spectrum of disease progression to help physicians identify high-risk tumors earlier, predict response to radiation therapy, and recommend more personalized treatment decisions. This exciting project, supported by the American Society for Radiation Oncology and LUNGevity, has the potential to address an overlooked need in personalized care for patients. Learn more.

Drug News

Recent FDA Approvals

Newly approved lung cancer treatments that help more people benefit from the latest advances in research.

On July 22, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced the approval of zidesamtinib to treat patients with locally advanced or metastatic ROS1-NSCLC. Learn more.

Support Lifesaving Research

Fuel the Next Breakthroughs in Lung Cancer

The Future of Lung Cancer Starts with Research

Every breakthrough in lung cancer care starts with a promising idea in the laboratory. Decades of discovery and investment have transformed those ideas into targeted therapies, immunotherapies, and precision medicine, helping more people live longer, fuller lives.

The next breakthrough is within reach, but continued investment is essential to get us there. Scientists are developing new targeted treatments, novel immunotherapies, and other approaches with the potential to transform outcomes for millions of people affected by lung cancer.

Be Part of the Next Breakthrough

LUNGevity is the nation’s leading private funder of lung cancer research, investing in bold new ideas and the next generation of scientific leaders. By supporting LUNGevity, you help bring new treatment options, better outcomes, and renewed hope within reach for people with lung cancer and their families.

Your gift can help turn today’s most promising ideas into tomorrow’s lifesaving breakthroughs. Donate today to accelerate innovative research, expand treatment possibilities, and move us closer to a world where lung cancer is curable.

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