Editor’s Note: As precision medicine continues to advance, breakthroughs in immunotherapy and the development of personalized treatment strategies are ushering in an exciting new era for lung cancer treatment. On December 29, 2024, the 2024 Elite Lung Cancer Diagnosis and Treatment Symposium and the 8th Cross-Strait Lung Cancer Academic Conference concluded successfully in Beijing. During the conference, Oncology Frontier invited Dr. Cheng Huang from Fujian Cancer Hospital to share key insights, highlight the milestone achievements in innovative drug development for lung cancer in 2024, and provide readers with a comprehensive review.Oncology Frontier: The 2024 Elite Lung Cancer Symposium has successfully concluded. As the conference chair, could you share the key highlights of this event?
Dr. Cheng Huang: The 2024 Elite Lung Cancer Symposium was a significant academic gathering that served as a platform to review this year’s progress in lung cancer research and discuss the future trajectory of the field. Hosted by Professor Lin Gen and his team from Beijing Chest Hospital of Capital Medical University, the conference featured a robust lineup of distinguished experts and scholars from both domestic and international institutions. The event was characterized by its high level of professionalism, wide-ranging scope, and strong focus on innovation.
The conference addressed key topics such as cutting-edge advances in lung cancer research, updates in clinical practice, trends in innovative drug development, and discussions surrounding the integration of medical humanities. By sharing experiences and disseminating findings, participants contributed to advancing lung cancer treatment paradigms, fostering both practical and innovative approaches.
Oncology Frontier: As the year comes to a close, could you highlight the major breakthroughs in innovative lung cancer drug development in 2024? How have these impacted treatment outcomes and the quality of life for patients?
Dr. Cheng Huang: The field of precision medicine in lung cancer has experienced remarkable advancements, particularly in the realm of innovative drug development. The emergence of therapies such as antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs) and bispecific antibodies has opened new horizons in treatment. Key breakthroughs from 2024 include:
The ALINA study, which investigated adjuvant therapy for ALK-positive NSCLC patients following surgery, demonstrated the superior efficacy of alectinib over platinum-based chemotherapy. The study revealed that alectinib improved the 2-year disease-free survival (DFS) rate to 93.8%, reducing the risk of recurrence or death by 76%. These results highlight a transformative step in the treatment of ALK-positive NSCLC, providing patients with a highly effective targeted option.
The LAURA study confirmed the efficacy of osimertinib in patients with stage III unresectable EGFR-mutant NSCLC who had undergone chemoradiotherapy (CRT). Results showed a significant increase in progression-free survival (PFS), with osimertinib achieving 39.1 months compared to 5.6 months with placebo. Additionally, the POLESTAR study demonstrated the safety and effectiveness of almonertinib as consolidation therapy in the same patient population, solidifying the role of third-generation EGFR-TKIs in improving treatment outcomes for unresectable stage III NSCLC.
In the field of small cell lung cancer (SCLC), the ADRIATIC study, published in the New England Journal of Medicine, evaluated durvalumab as consolidation therapy for limited-stage SCLC patients who had completed concurrent chemoradiotherapy (cCRT). The study established durvalumab as a groundbreaking option, significantly extending both OS and PFS compared to placebo.
For PD-L1-positive advanced NSCLC, the HARMONi-2 study assessed the efficacy of the domestically developed bispecific antibody ivonescimab against pembrolizumab as a first-line monotherapy. Results showed a median PFS of 11.14 months for ivonescimab, outperforming pembrolizumab. This marks a major milestone, as it is the first phase III trial to demonstrate such results in a head-to-head comparison, positioning ivonescimab as an optimal choice for PD-L1-positive advanced NSCLC.
Oncology Frontier: Based on these developments, what trends do you foresee in the future of targeted and immunotherapy drug development for lung cancer?
Dr. Cheng Huang: Lung cancer treatment trends are becoming increasingly defined, with efforts nationwide to integrate multidisciplinary care into clinical practice. From the perspective of drug development, two primary directions merit attention.
First, immunotherapy is advancing rapidly, moving beyond traditional monoclonal antibodies to explore bispecific and trispecific antibodies. Research has already demonstrated the clinical efficacy and safety of bispecific antibodies in lung cancer treatment. The future will likely see more focus on developing multispecific antibody therapies and exploring innovative combination strategies, pushing the boundaries of immunotherapy to deliver even greater clinical benefits.
Second, the emergence of ADCs represents a breakthrough in lung cancer innovation. Traditional cytotoxic agents are often limited by their systemic toxicity, which hampers their clinical application. ADCs, however, significantly reduce systemic toxicity while expanding the therapeutic window. This innovation has led to substantial improvements in lung cancer treatment. Clinical studies have validated the efficacy of ADCs targeting TROP-2 and c-MET, and the development of more ADCs for clinical application is anticipated. These advancements are expected to elevate the standard of care and drive further progress in the field.
In conclusion, the rapid pace of innovation in lung cancer drug development underscores the promise of an even brighter future. Continued research and collaboration will ensure that these advancements translate into improved outcomes and quality of life for patients.
Dr. Cheng Huang
Chief Expert, Fujian Cancer Hospital
Professor and Senior Chief Physician
Member of the Lung Cancer Quality Control Expert Committee, National Cancer Quality Control Center
Vice Chair of the Cancer Rehabilitation and Palliative Care Professional Committee, Chinese Anti-Cancer Association
Vice Chair of the Tumor Clinical Chemotherapy Professional Committee, Chinese Anti-Cancer Association
Standing Committee Member of the Lung Cancer Professional Committee (3rd, 4th, and 5th terms), Chinese Anti-Cancer Association
Executive Director of CSCO (Chinese Society of Clinical Oncology)
Vice Chair of the CSCO Small Cell Lung Cancer Expert Committee
Standing Committee Member of the CSCO China Oncology Driver Gene Analysis Alliance
Vice Chair of the Tumor Multidisciplinary Professional Committee, Wu Jieping Medical Foundation
Chair of the Lung Cancer Professional Committee, CSWOG (China Southern Tumor Clinical Research Association)
Chair of the Tumor Immunotherapy Professional Committee, Fujian Anti-Cancer Association
Honorary Chair of the Tumor Medical Oncology Professional Committee, Fujian Anti-Cancer Association
Recipient of the 4th National Distinguished Physician Excellence Award (2020)
Editorial Board Member of Chinese Journal of Lung Cancer, Chinese Lung Cancer Clinical Guidelines, Journal of Clinical Oncology, International Journal of Oncology, and Chinese Oncology Clinical and Rehabilitation.
