ASCO 2015 Highlights

Tobacco use is a preventable cause of cancer. Data suggest that approximately 33% of all cancers, including lung, head and neck, esophageal, pancreas, colon, and some types of leukemia, are caused by tobacco use. This session will review the relationships between smoking, free trade, industry regulation, and global public health.

Early detection of lung cancer enhances patient survival. However, the value of specific screening programs is affected by multiple factors, including patient selection methods, triage algorithms, and imaging technology. This oral session includes presentations of novel approaches to the detection of lung cancer.

This plenary session includes 4 presentations that describe the role of PD-L1 testing and immuno-oncology agents in the treatment of patients with first-line and relapsed NSCLC. All of these abstracts are embargoed until December 7, 2016.

Association of a survival benefit with chemotherapy use for non–small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) was observed only after the development of cisplatin and platinum doublets. Recent therapeutic advancements in NSCLC and other solid tumors have revolved around the development of immunotherapies that inhibit immune checkpoints, as well as drugs that target driver mutations.

Nivolumab, a PD-1 immune checkpoint inhibitor, has demonstrated superior efficacy relative to docetaxel in patients with advanced non–small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) who progressed on or after platinum-based chemotherapy regardless of PD-L1 expression. Researchers presented findings from a phase 1 study of nivolumab as first-line therapy for advanced NSCLC.

Extensive-stage disease (ED) small-cell lung cancer (SCLC) is characterized by limited treatment options and poor survival after platinum-based chemotherapy. Pembrolizumab, an inhibitor of PD-1, is active and safe in multiple solid tumors. Researchers presented updated safety and efficacy data for patients with ED SCLC who enrolled in KEYNOTE-028.

Atezolizumab, a humanized anti–PD-L1 monoclonal antibody, is being assessed in a phase 2 study in PD-L1–selected advanced non–small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients. Initial analysis demonstrated a meaningful objective response rate with durable response in chemotherapy-naive first-line and relapsed PD-L1–selected patients. Researchers reported updated efficacy data in these first-line patients.

Based on data from the National Lung Screening Trial comparing lung cancer mortality associated with computed tomography (CT) and chest x-ray screening, CT screening is now standard clinical practice. However, questions about the value of CT screening remain given its cost and risk of false-positive results.

Rates of early detection of lung cancer remain poor. Identification of endobronchial lung dysplasia with a noninvasive sputum-based test could facilitate chemoprevention. Researchers evaluated a novel test for early-stage lung cancer to determine if it can identify tumor cells that have been exfoliated into sputum.