Recognizing World Lung Cancer Day 2025: Driving the Future of Lung Cancer Care

Years ago, when I was preparing for medical school, both of my grandmothers were diagnosed with advanced cancer. After each going through an extended cancer journey, they passed away within a week of each other. One had renal cell carcinoma and the other grandmother, whose diagnosis began as a suspected stroke, turned out to be metastatic lung cancer that had spread to her brain.

But her story took an unexpected turn. She became one of the very first patients in the world to be treated with a then-experimental epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) inhibitor, a therapy I now prescribe routinely. That treatment gave her precious extra years of quality life and gave me a first hand perspective to what’s possible when science, timing, and hope converge.

Her story, along with countless others I've witnessed since, shaped not only my career in oncology, but my belief that research isn't just a scientific pursuit. It's a personal one.

My work has spanned to both blood and solid tumors and one of the most fascinating shifts I’ve observed is how technologies pioneered in blood cancers, like bispecific T-cell engagers and immune redirection strategies, are now reshaping the treatment of lung cancer.

Take tarlatumab, a bispecific molecule that’s shown promise in small cell lung cancer. Our team was involved in the early stages of this research, and now we’re participating in DeLLphi-305, a maintenance study that could expand options for patients post-chemotherapy. We’ve also placed multiple patients on promising trials for various investigational agents such as quaratusugene ozeplasmid with favorable outcomes. It’s a reminder that scientific progress often begins with patients bravely saying “yes” to something new.

Today, as a physician-scientist and a member of @Sarah Cannon Research Institute, @Willamette Valley Cancer Institute & Research Center, and @The US Oncology Network, I’m privileged to be part of something bigger: a network of experts, trialists, and community care physicians working to transform how we detect and treat lung cancer. Just ten years ago, it was almost unthinkable to imagine patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer living five or more years, off treatment and thriving. But new advancements such as immune checkpoint inhibitors have changed that and will continue to evolve the treatment paradigm.

Meanwhile, new chapters are being written in this story. We’ve moved from targeting just one KRAS mutation (G12C) to developing pan-KRAS inhibitors, thanks to advancements in molecular targeting that were once thought impossible. What was once untargetable is now within reach.

Eighty percent of oncology care in the U.S. happens in the community. However, people often only think of major academic centers when considering a clinical trial. At SCRI and The US Oncology Network, we bring world-class trials to the communities where patients live, whether that’s Eugene, Oregon or beyond. This not only improves quality of life but ensures we’re enrolling more diverse populations, accelerating access to care and breakthrough therapies for all. When one of my patients enrolls in a trial, I tell them this: your bravery and contributions are paving the way for future patients and beyond.

The future of lung cancer care is exciting and promising. From trials like HARMONi-3—which could redefine first-line treatment for non-small cell lung cancer—to the development of next-generation therapies like pan-KRAS inhibitors, the landscape of lung cancer treatment is rapidly evolving, offering new hope for patients with previously limited options.

But for all the science, I still come back to the stories. Like the patient who shared Popeyes fried chicken with me during the COVID-19 pandemic, isolated in a hospital room after receiving investigational CAR T-cell therapy. I remember taking a selfie with him, a photo I still have on my phone today. He’s now in remission.

On this World Lung Cancer Day, I’m thinking of my grandmothers, my patients, and the journey ahead. I’m grateful to be part of a community that refuses to accept the status quo, and I’m honored to help write the next chapter of this story.