Question: I was diagnosed with early-stage lung cancer. Do I need biomarker testing? Can I benefit from a targeted therapy if a biomarker is discovered?  

(Answered by Dr. Collin Blakely from the University of California, San Francisco, during his appearance at the April 25, 2024 Lung Cancer Living Room. It has been edited slightly for this use.)  

Answer:  

Historically, we’ve only thought about biomarker testing and using targeted therapies for people with stage 4 (IV) or metastatic lung cancer. In the last 2 or 3 years, we’ve seen that these therapies are not only effective for metastatic disease, but they also improve survival and odds of cure for people with earlier stage disease.  

Here’s an example: People with early stage EGFR-positive lung cancer who use Tagrisso (osimertinib) in the adjuvant setting for 3 years after surgery live longer than if they didn’t receive the drug.  

Similar to the breast cancer field, we’re moving the use of targeted therapy drugs earlier and earlier. In my mind, the earlier you can treat the cancer in terms of its progression, the better. Because once the cancer progresses, grows, and develops new mutations, it gets harder and harder to treat. The earlier that we can intervene with targeted therapies that are very effective, the better the outcomes will be.  

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