By Matthew Reiss, MSE, PhD, Manager, Precision Medicine & Navigation; Andrew Ciupek, PhD, Associate Director, Clinical Research; Shanada Monestime, PharmD, BCOP, Director, Community Engaged Research; Heather Law, MA, Associate Director, Lung Cancer Registry; Richard Erwin, Executive Director of the Addario Lung Cancer Medical Institute; Courtney Granville, PhD, MSPH, Chief Scientific Officer
In 2024, the GO2 research team remained dedicated to the lung cancer community by working to:
- Increase the rate of lung cancers diagnosed at an early curable stage.
- Increase the rate of comprehensive biomarker testing and precision medicine.
- Increase the reach and impact of community engagement.
- Improve quality of life.
We’re proud of our progress to directly benefit people with lung cancer and their loved ones in 3 key areas: precision medicine, clinical research, and community-engaged research. Looking ahead to 2025, we’re excited to collaborate with even more communities and partners to continue improving lung cancer outcomes.
Precision medicine
Supporting people with lung cancer through LungMATCH
In 2024, our LungMATCH program has supported over 137 individuals, providing more than 60 hours of guidance on topics like biomarker results, treatment options, and clinical trials. Notably, 26% of contacts were from small cell lung cancer (SCLC) patients, and 100% of clinical trial inquirers went on to discuss options with their healthcare team. LungMATCH has also contributed to clinical research by enhancing patient-doctor communication, reducing stigma, and improving access to trials and new treatments.
ALCMI partners with Viz.ai
In September, the Addario Lung Cancer Medical Institute (ALCMI) announced a new partnership with Viz.ai, a leader in AI-powered disease detection and intelligent care coordination. This alliance will focus on harnessing the power of artificial intelligence to aid in the early detection of lung cancer, streamline clinical workflows, and improve patient care. By empowering local physicians with advanced AI tools, the partnership also seeks to reduce healthcare disparities in rural and community settings, ensuring that all patients have access to the latest lung cancer treatments and methodologies.
Clinical research
Collaborating across institutions
GO2’s clinical research studies, in partnership with over 20 cancer centers, hospitals, community-based clinics, and ALCMI, bring valuable insights directly to patients. By working with GO2’s Centers of Excellence network, we aim to improve access to clinical research where patients receive care. Our efforts were highlighted in a scientific publication, sharing best practices to increase community participation and enhance research impact for patients.
In April, we launched the INHERIT study to discover lung cancer’s genetic risk in collaboration with ALCMI and the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. The study aims to identify additional genetic risk factors for lung cancer, building on earlier research that identified an inherited EGFR mutation. The public response to this study has been excellent, with over 425 potential volunteers expressing interest since the study opened. We’re excited to screen and enroll more patients in the coming year.
Understanding lung cancer in younger patients
In September, an e-poster titled “Role of Diet and Exercise in Young Lung Cancer Patients with Driver Mutations,” was presented at the 2024 World Conference on Lung Cancer in San Diego. The report shared data from the ongoing ALCMI/GO2 Epidemiology of Young Lung Cancer study, which seeks to better understand lung cancer in younger patients.
Our preliminary findings revealed that young patients with ALK and EGFR mutations had healthier diets and exercised more frequently than the general U.S. population—an unexpected result. As the study continues, other environmental and biological factors contributing to lung cancer in this age group will be explored, helping to identify ways to improve prevention and treatment for younger patients.
Improving quality of life for people with ALK+ non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC)
In 2024, we completed the ALK survey study through our Lung Cancer Registry. This survey focused on individuals diagnosed with the ALK-positive biomarker with a goal of understanding their treatment plans, side effects, and quality of life.
We found that most people with ALK+ NSCLC felt their therapy helped prevent cancer growth, extended their lives, and was worth the side effects. However, many experienced scan-related anxiety, with few receiving mental health support from their care teams. The findings will be published in a scientific journal to raise awareness among clinicians about the need for mental health support for patients facing scan-related anxiety.
Learning more about the needs of people with small cell lung cancer (SCLC)
GO2 also completed a SCLC registry study to learn more about the treatment and decision-making process of someone diagnosed with SCLC, as well as any gaps in support services or needs.
One of the gaps we learned about is that while most people with SCLC had heard of palliative care, only half were offered or given information about it. Because of this, care teams need to make efforts to expand access and improve education regarding palliative care among people with SCLC and their family caregivers. We shared these findings with clinicians and healthcare professionals at the American Society of Clinical Oncology’s Quality Care Symposium.
Improving support resources for people with lung cancer
Through a patient survey on emotional support resources, we learned that less than half of people with depression receive emotional support. The key finding is that healthcare teams and advocacy organizations can work together to increase access to emotional support programs for people with lung cancer.
These findings were presented at the World Conference on Lung Cancer to attendees committed to patient advocacy.
Community-engaged research (CER)
Engaging community members to reduce health disparities
Our 14-member Community Advisory Board, composed of leaders serving predominantly Black communities, has been instrumental in shaping our CER initiatives. Their guidance, paired with our geospatial analysis of lung cancer incidence hotspots, has driven our efforts to implement meaningful, community-based interventions.
By identifying areas with the greatest need, we can engage community members and leaders in education and awareness campaigns to reduce disparities. Additionally, we shared our framework for creating a successful Community Advisory Board and our thoughts on how geomapping could work with local pharmacists at the Hematology/Oncology Pharmacy Association (HOPA) conference and the American Public Health Association (APHA).
Sharing the experience of Black patients and caregivers
This year, we proudly launched our first Black Voices storytelling series, highlighting the experiences of patients and caregivers affected by lung cancer. We also held 4 workshops in Broward County on screening, treatment, and lung cancer disparities, engaging 75-90 attendees per session. Pre- and post-assessments measured changes in knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors. Our goal is to reach over 350 participants, empowering them to spread awareness and advocate for lung cancer prevention in their communities. We presented data from this program at APHA and the World Conference on Lung Cancer.
Empowering student leaders
The GO2 research team led impactful training sessions at Southern University A&M and Howard University College of Pharmacy, both historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs), through Program CONNECT. Over 100 nursing and pharmacy students, who are leaders in their communities, were trained on lung cancer disparities, screening, treatment options, and strategies for confidently navigating people to appropriate care. We evaluated their knowledge, confidence, and attitudes through pre- and post-tests, demonstrating the effectiveness of our program.
Looking ahead, we are eager to collaborate with the JAG Mobile Health Unit and the pharmacy schools in 2025 to further empower these student leaders to guide their communities toward screening and treatment, ultimately improving health outcomes.
Advancing environmental health research
GO2 continues to address environmental justice issues. Collaborating with Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, we examined the link between air pollution exposure and increased cancer mortality among vulnerable populations. Our findings were presented at the International Society of Environmental Epidemiology (ISEE) conference in Montreal, Canada, and we remain committed to exploring environmental factors that impact health outcomes.
On the horizon
The GO2 research team has big plans for 2025. Our community engaged research will continue to expand its reach in South Florida and Washington, DC. The Lung Cancer Registry will continue its modernization with the launch of a portal for lung cancer researchers and clinicians and a risk survey aimed at better understanding who is at high risk for the development of lung cancer. GO2/ALCMI also plan to launch several new biospecimen collection and observational research studies to benefit the patient community.
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