A new survey commissioned by the Cancer Research Institute (CRI) and Regeneron Pharmaceuticals has highlighted that more research is needed to improve treatment for advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).
Responsible for around 85% of all lung cancers, NSCLC is any type of epithelial lung cancer other than small cell lung cancer.
Conducted online by The Harris Poll, the survey involved 250 US medical oncologists, ranging from private practice and community hospitals to national cancer centres across 37 different states that treat advanced NSCLC patients.
Approximately 96% agreed on the importance of having multiple treatment options for patients and 94% of oncologists believed that it is important for patients to be involved in treatment decisions.
Additionally, 71% said that they would be interested in additional research that focused on new combination treatments that involved immunotherapy.
Immunotherapy is a form of treatment that oncologists frequently use in their practice in first- and second-line advanced NSCLC.
Furthermore, considerable gaps where further research is required to improve understandings of advanced NSCLC were identified, specifically in relation to treatment options, biomarker testing and subpopulations.
Biomarkers are used to perform a clinical assessment, monitor and predict the health states of individuals, and ensure the appropriate treatment.
Approximately 94% of oncologists agreed that biomarker testing is crucial for determining advanced NSCLC treatment decisions beyond patients’ stratifications and felt that more could be done to improve treatment options for known biomarkers.
Julie Brahmer, co-director, upper aerodigestive department, Bloomberg Kimmel Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy at Johns Hopkins, said: “These findings remind us there is still work to do and that our collective dedication to the research of advanced NSCLC… is crucial to ensuring our patients have the best possible options available to them.”
Jill O’Donnell-Tormey, chief executive officer and director, scientific affairs, CRI, said: “These survey findings demonstrate that oncologists want broader treatment options that can be tailored to their patients to provide the best possible outcome.
“CRI is looking forward to how we can lead the way in the development of new… immunotherapies for the thousands of patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer in the US.”