Treatment for lung cancer has advanced considerably over the years and has been accelerating at an even faster rate this past decade. People diagnosed with lung cancer today have newer, more personalized treatment options that may include targeted therapies, immunotherapies, combination therapies and more traditional chemotherapies or radiation. The development of new treatments is ongoing, and the next wave of precision medicine offers even more hope for people living with lung cancer.  

In April’s Lung Cancer Living Room – our first broadcast with a live audience in over three years – GO2 for Lung Cancer’s Chief Patient Officer, Danielle Hicks, was joined by a Dr. Joel W. Neal to discuss what we really mean when we say “precision medicine;” why biomarker testing is critical to finding the best treatment for each patient; how doctors decide on a treatment plan; and what exciting developments are on the horizon. 

Speakers: Joel W. Neal, MD, PhD, associate professor of medicine, Division of Oncology and medical director, Cancer Clinical Trials Office, Stanford Cancer Institute; Danielle Hicks, GO2 for Lung Cancer  

Discussed in this episode:  

  • Biomarker testing – the best treatment decision starts with biomarker testing which identifies a patient’s specific lung cancer mutations. The results guide the healthcare team’s treatment recommendations.  
  • Targeted therapies – drugs that attack cancer cells by targeting the specific tumor type. This allows treatments to work better with fewer side effects.  
  • Immunotherapy– a type of cancer treatment that helps the body’s own immune system find and attack cancer cells. 

Please join us on May 16th at 5:30 pm PT/8:30 pm ET for the next Lung Cancer Living Room. Palliative care will be discussed with Dr. Millie Das, medical oncologist from Stanford Cancer Center and the Palo Alto VA. You can join us in our San Carlos, CA office or watch on YouTube Live. 

For more information on the Living Room, other GO2 for Lung Cancer programs or for support through diagnosis and treatment, please contact GO2’s HelpLine at 1-800-298-2436 or email support@go2.org.