Lung cancer remains the leading cause of cancer-related deaths in the U.S. and Europe. Despite available treatments, more than 70% of patients experience relapse and eventually succumb to the disease, often due to its spread to other parts of the body. While targeted therapies offer some hope, they benefit only a small percentage of patients, and resistance to these treatments is a common issue. Many patients rely on chemotherapy and radiation, but these approaches often fail, leading to aggressive cancer progression. Although immune therapies show promise, they are limited by their success rates and potential side effects. Early detection and a deeper understanding of lung cancer’s underlying mechanisms are essential for improving prevention and treatment outcomes.
An official research statement from the American Thoracic Society (ATS), co-chaired by Prof. Dr. Rajkumar Savai, DZL-PI and scientific coordinator of the DZL Lung Cancer Disease Area, alongside Prof. Seyed Javad Moghaddam from MD Anderson and Prof. Robert L. Keith from the University of Colorado Denver School of Medicine, addresses the urgent need for further research into lung cancer. The statement, titled “Premalignant Progression in the Lung: Knowledge Gaps and Novel Opportunities for Interception of Non–Small Cell Lung Cancer,” was developed by an international, multidisciplinary team of basic, translational, and clinical scientists who carefully reviewed existing data to refine research questions aimed at understanding the transformation of premalignant lung lesions into advanced lung cancer.
The statement identifies significant gaps in current knowledge and proposes critical research questions designed to expand our understanding of the mechanisms behind the progression of premalignant lung lesions to full-blown cancer. The goal is to explore innovative strategies to intercept lung cancer at its earliest stages.
The report underscores the urgent need to prioritize research on the biological mechanisms of premalignant progression in the lung. It also highlights the ongoing challenges in screening, detection, and early intervention, emphasizing the importance of focused investigations. Such efforts are essential to developing effective preventive strategies that could ultimately reduce lung cancer incidence and improve patient outcomes.
Prof. Rajkumar Savai is a leading figure in lung cancer research, serving as a professor at the Institute for Lung Research (ILH) at Justus Liebig University in Giessen. He leads the research group "Lung Microenvironmental Niche in Cancerogenesis" and heads the Oncology Basic Research Unit at Medical Clinic V of the University Hospital Giessen and Marburg. Additionally, he is a group leader at the Department of Lung Development and Remodeling at the Max Planck Institute for Heart and Lung Research (MPI-HLR) in Bad Nauheim. His research primarily focuses on unraveling the mechanisms of lung cancer development and progression, with a particular emphasis on the tumor microenvironment.
Original publication: Moghaddam SJ, Savai R, Salehi-Rad R, Sengupta S, Kammer MN, Massion P, Beane JE, Ostrin EJ, Priolo C, Tennis MA, Stabile LP, Bauer AK, Sears CR, Szabo E, Rivera MP, Powell CA, Kadara H, Jenkins BJ, Dubinett SM, Houghton AM, Kim CF, Keith RL. Premalignant Progression in the Lung: Knowledge Gaps and Novel Opportunities for Interception of Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer. An Official American Thoracic Society Research Statement. Am J Respir Crit Care Med. 2024 Aug 8. doi: 10.1164/rccm.202406-1168ST. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 39115548.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39115548/
