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A rainy day in Tarrytown, NY didn’t dampen the enthusiasm of those gathered April 5 to hear about the latest in lung cancer research and meet others in the LCRF second family.

LCRF Together NY featured a lively discussion between Brendon Stiles, MD, and Balazs Halmos, MD, MS, from Montefiore Einstein Comprehensive Cancer Center, and Isabel Preeshagul, DO, MBS, from Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. Dr. Stiles is vice chair of LCRF Board of Directors and Scientific Advisory Board, Dr. Preeshagul is chair of the LCRF Education and Engagement Committee, and Dr. Halmos is a previously funded LCRF researcher.

Game-changers in research

Patient-focused research was a hot topic, particularly the COCOON study which focuses on adverse affects and quality of life issues. Antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs) are another area drawing attention – over 300 are in development. ADCs function as a modern-day Trojan horse, explained Dr. Preeshagul. They deliver potent agents directly into cancer cells while sparing healthy tissue.

“Understanding the importance of getting the right stage and diagnosis before jumping straight to a treatment” has also led to changes, Dr. Stiles said. While needle biopsies were once standard, bronchoscopic biopsies are now being used even for early-stage patients to check lymph nodes and improve staging accuracy.

Another game changer for many patients is immunotherapy, Dr. Halmos pointed out. “Patients with advanced stage cancer without an oncogenic driver have seen significant improvement and outcomes.”

However, treating small cell lung cancer has continued to be challenging. “We need to come together and fund more research for small cell.”

The experts also discussed screening guidelines, which have been revised to cover a wider, more diverse population. Dr. Stiles foresees a move away from the sweeping recommendations of the past to a more tailored set of guidelines that could help get more eligible people the screening they need.

Increased survivorship rates mean that lung cancer no longer kills more people than breast, prostate, and colon cancers combined. The number of lung cancer deaths per year is now about equal to the other three combined. The progress we’ve made is a direct result of research, the panel pointed out. Cutting research funding from the Department of Defense budget is a big loss for our community, and private funding from organizations like LCRF is more important than ever, they agreed.

An essential opportunity

Dr. Preeshagul shared her gratitude for the opportunity to dialog with the group gathered for the event. “Gatherings like this one are so essential for the lung cancer community, not only because it is an opportunity to learn from experts in this space. More importantly, it’s a chance for us to hear from patients, caregivers, and advocates about their true needs and the areas where we can be most impactful.”

Other upcoming educational events include several Together Separately livestreams as well as LCRF Together Chicago on May 14. Browse all events on our calendar page.

Drs. Halmos, Stiles, and Preeshagul
Posted in Conferences, LCRF Together

The research you fund through LCRF is making meaningful progress in the fight against lung cancer. We are pleased to share our 2023 grantees’ one-year updates in this series.

Benjamin Morris, MD 

MD Anderson Cancer Center
2023 LCRF Leading Edge Research Grant Program

What he’s doing: 
Dr. Morris is leading critical research to better understand how small cell lung cancer (SCLC) responds to treatment by analyzing patient tumor samples before, during, and after therapy—particularly when the cancer progresses. His team is also comparing the genetic makeup of tumors in patients who respond well to treatment versus those whose cancer proves resistant.

What it could mean for patients:
By uncovering the genetic changes that occur throughout treatment, Dr. Morris hopes to identify patterns that could guide the development of more effective therapies for SCLC. Since this type of lung cancer has historically been difficult to treat, understanding its biology is essential to finding new and improved treatment strategies.

Read 2023 grant directory listing

Posted in Grants, Research, Science Made SimpleTagged , ,

The research you fund through LCRF is making meaningful progress in the fight against lung cancer. We are pleased to share our 2023 grantees’ one-year updates in this series.

Trever Bivona, MD, PhD

University of California, San Francisco
2023 LCRF Research Grant on Understanding Resistance in Lung Cancer

What he’s doing: 
Dr. Bivona’s overall goal in his research is to create an entirely new approach to treat lung cancer by developing a suite of precision therapies that are distinct in their mechanism of action against the tumor ecosystem.

How it’s going:
Dr. Bivona’s team is making significant strides in understanding how lung cancer tumors resist treatment. Their research has confirmed initial treatment targets produced by cells in the tumor microenvironment.

What it could mean for patients:
By inhibiting the interaction between these targets and cancer cells, there is potential to enhance tumor sensitivity to immunotherapy—offering new hope for patients with notoriously resistant forms of lung cancer, such as EGFR+ and other oncogene-driven lung cancers. Even more promising, this work could lay the foundation for a future clinical trial, bringing us closer to more effective treatment options for patients facing limited choices today.

Read 2023 grant directory listing

Posted in Grants, Research, Science Made SimpleTagged , ,

The research you fund through LCRF is making meaningful progress in the fight against lung cancer. We are pleased to share our 2023 grantees’ one-year updates in this series.

Francisco Expósito, PhD

Yale University
2023 LCRF Leading Edge Research Grant Program

What he’s doing:  
Dr. Expósito is investigating a promising new approach to treating EGFR-driven lung cancer by studying the role of SETD2, a gene that normally helps suppress cancer formation. When SETD2 is lost, cancer growth can accelerate, particularly in EGFR+ lung adenocarcinoma.

How it’s going:
To better understand this process, Dr. Expósito has developed advanced genetic models that allow researchers to deactivate and restore SETD2 in cancer cells. His team is now preparing to study SETD2 in human tumor samples, which could provide critical insights into how manipulating this gene may create new therapeutic opportunities. His team is now preparing to study SETD2 in human tumor samples, which could provide critical insights into how manipulating this gene may create new therapeutic opportunities.

What it could mean for patients:
If successful, this research could lead to innovative strategies for targeting EGFR-mutated lung cancer, offering new hope for patients in need of better treatment options.

Read 2023 grant directory listing

Posted in Grants, Research, Science Made SimpleTagged , , ,

February 2025

Two years ago, 38-year old Lauren was celebrating her first year as a mom. Ready to step up her fitness, she decided to start training for a half marathon.

Lauren with her husband at their daughter Elle’s first birthday party

It wasn’t long before she noticed a tweaked muscle in her neck. An X-ray showed something speculated to be a past injury. Lauren didn’t think that sounded right, so she asked for another X-ray.

That X-ray highlighted a mass in her lung that later testing showed was stage 3 lung cancer.

“In the course of 24 hours I went from perfect bloodwork, feeling like I was in the best shape I’ve been in since the baby to a CT scan to figure out what it was,” she remembers.

“It was exceptionally overwhelming,” she said. “The devastation around that time of not knowing. I remember saying ‘am I going to make it to (my daughter Elle’s) second birthday?’”

Because she hoped to have another child, Lauren underwent fertility preservation before chemotherapy and radiation to shrink the tumors for surgical removal. Half her left lung was removed after a month of recovery.

“I knew I would fight so that I could stay here for Elle. She gave me the motivation to get up and get infusions when I was feeling my worst. I held a picture of her for every scan. I couldn’t bear the thought of taking that smile from her face.”

Lauren learned she had an EGFR mutation, which often shows up in nonsmoking patients in their 30s and 40s.

Her one-year scan showed no evidence of cancer; however, she will continue regular scans to make sure she doesn’t have a recurrence.

She is grateful for her supporters, including those she’s never met. “Your support literally saves lives by fueling the best and most innovative cancer research in the world – helping people like me have more treatment options and better outcomes. I’m hopeful that together, we can make sure new treatments continue to emerge.”

> Learn about biomarker testing for EGFR and other genetic mutations
> Find a patient support group
> Donate to fund lung cancer research

Posted in Journeys, PeopleTagged ,

Groups partner on research project to test innovative new treatment for KRAS-mutant cancer being developed at Hebrew University

NEW YORK, NY (February 18, 2025) – The Lung Cancer Research Foundation (LCRF) is pleased to announce its partnership with Israel Cancer Research Fund (ICRF) on a project led by Joel Yisraeli, PhD, and his lab in the Department of Developmental Biology and Cancer Research at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. The ICRF-LCRF Project Grant is a three-year, $180,000 award.

The project, titled “Treating Lung and Colorectal Carcinomas by Targeting IGFBP1” will study the effects of an IGF2BP1 inhibitor discovered by Professor Yisraeli and his team, building upon previous ICRF-funded research.

IGF2BP1 is a protein that binds to RNA and is usually active before birth, but it becomes active again in many types of cancers. In patients with lung adenocarcinoma, those with high levels of IGF2BP1 and a mutated KRAS gene have a much lower survival rate (15 months) compared to those without high levels of IGF2BP1 (88 months). In mice, when IGF2BP1 is active along with the mutant KRAS gene, it helps tumors grow in the lungs and spread to other parts of the body. However, blocking IGF2BP1 can prevent these tumors from spreading.

Prof. Yisraeli’s lab discovered and refined a molecule called “AVJ16,” which prevents IGF2BP1 from attaching to KRAS and other cancer-promoting RNAs. In mouse models, this drug stops cancer cells from growing when injected under the skin. This project will allow Prof. Yisraeli and his team to test AVJ16 in a genetic mouse model of lung cancer, explore its potential as an additional therapy, and develop a small molecule that targets and degrades IGF2BP1. Their ultimate goal is to create a set of powerful new therapies that specifically inhibit IGF2BP1 and prevent cancer development. They hope these animal studies will be the first step toward a clinical trial.

KRAS is the most common mutation in non-small cell lung cancer patients, making up about 25% of all lung cancers. The KRAS gene serves as a signaling pathway for cell growth, and when there is a mutation in the KRAS gene, it causes excess signaling, leading to excess cell growth and cancer. Roughly half of patients with KRAS-mutated lung cancer have a KRAS G12C mutation,1 for which there are targeted drug therapies following progression after first-line treatment. However, because these agents are not curative nor active in other KRAS mutations, additional research is urgently needed.

Professor Yisraeli has received previous grant funding from ICRF over the years, including when he initially set up his lab at the Faculty of Medicine at Hebrew University after returning from a post-doctoral fellowship in developmental biology at Harvard. This support has enabled new discoveries and paved the way for his current lung cancer research.

“LCRF is delighted to partner with ICRF on this research project,” says Antoinette Wozniak, MD, LCRF Chief Scientific Officer. “In a notoriously difficult cancer to treat, this project explores a promising new target for KRAS-mutated lung cancer, which is an exciting development.”

I’m grateful for this powerful partnership between ICRF and LCRF,” says Arnold Baskies, MD, FACS, Chair of ICRF’s Board of Trustees. “Our collaboration amplifies our shared vision to advance lung cancer treatment while leveraging Israel’s innovations in the fight against cancer.”

To learn more about LCRF and its grants program, visit LCRF.org. To learn more about ICRF and its research program, visit icrfonline.org.  

[1] KRAS and Lung Cancer, American Lung Association

###

About the Lung Cancer Research Foundation (LCRF)
The Lung Cancer Research Foundation® (LCRF) is the leading nonprofit organization focused on funding innovative, high-reward research with the potential to extend survival and improve quality of life for people with lung cancer. LCRF’s mission is to improve lung cancer outcomes by funding research for the prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and cure of lung cancer. To date, LCRF has funded 428 research grants, totaling nearly $48 million, the highest amount provided by a nonprofit organization dedicated to funding lung cancer research. For more information, visit LCRF.org.

Contact:
Sheila Sullivan
Sr. Director, Marketing & Communications, LCRF
ssullivan@lcrf.org

About Israel Cancer Research Fund (ICRF)
Israel Cancer Research Fund (ICRF) is the largest nongovernmental funder of cancer research in Israel. For 50 years, with nearly 3,000 grants totaling more than $98 million, ICRF has enabled the best and brightest scientists to conduct groundbreaking research for all types of cancer across Israel’s leading institutions. Our goal is to end the suffering caused by cancer and ensure that Israel remains a global leader in science and a beacon of hope for the world. The answer to cancer is research! Learn more at icrfonline.org.

Contact:
Gayle Peck
Director of Communications, ICRF
gayle.peck@icrfonline.org

About the Hebrew University of Jerusalem
This year marks 100 years of excellence in research, education, and innovation at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Israel’s premier institution of higher learning and research. The University is dedicated to advancing knowledge, fostering leadership, and promoting diversity, serving over 23,000 students from over 80 countries. As home to founder Albert Einstein’s archives, the University produces nearly 40% of Israel’s civilian scientific research and has received over 11,000 patents. Faculty and alumni of the Hebrew University have won eight Nobel Prizes and a Fields Medal, and continue to shape the future. For more information about Hebrew University’s academic programs, research, and achievements, please visit http://new.huji.ac.il/en.

Contact:
Danae Marks-Callaf
Director of International Communications
danaemc@savion.huji.ac.il

Posted in Announcements, Partnerships, ResearchTagged , ,
Science Made Simple Antoinette Wozniak MD

The good news

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has granted accelerated approval to zenocutuzumab-zbco for the treatment of adult patients with advanced, unresectable, or metastatic non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) or pancreatic adenocarcinoma that harbors a gene fusion involving neuregulin 1 (NRG1). The drug is approved for use following disease progression during or after prior systemic therapy. 

Why it’s important

NRG1 is important in the development of the neurologic system and other biologic processes. Fusions or rearrangements of the NRG1 gene are rare and can occur in 0.2% of NSCLC and in other types of cancer. The NRG1 proteins bind to HER3 promoting cancer development. Patients who have this abnormality in their tumor do not do as well with standard treatment.

Zenocutuzumab is a bispecific antibody (binds to 2 targets) that blocks the interaction between NRG1 and both HER2 and HER3. The drug was evaluated in the eNRGy study which was a “basket” trial of patients with previously treated cancer. A trial of this type means that it is open to patients with any kind of cancer as long as they have the gene alteration – in this case, an NRG1 fusion. Of the 64 patients with NRG1 fusion NSCLC in the study, 33% had a significant reduction in their cancer from zenocutuzumab treatment that lasted a median of 7.4 months. Side effects were very manageable and included muscle pain, gastrointestinal symptoms (diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, constipation), rash, infusion reactions, and laboratory abnormalities.

What it means for patients

NRG1 fusions represent another abnormality in the cancer cell that can be treated with targeted therapy. Because of its rarity, it is important that patients have molecular/genetic testing done on their cancer to determine if an NRG1 fusion is present. The drug was also approved for patients with pancreatic cancer who have an NRG1 fusion because of the benefit that was demonstrated on the trial.

What to look for

There will likely be more trials evaluating zenocutuzumab, possibly in combination with other treatments and as initial therapy for patients with advanced NSCLC who have NRG1 fusions. Expect that the search for additional targets for treatment and subsequent development of novel drugs will continue.

Posted in Science Made SimpleTagged , ,