Immunotherapy has recently emerged as a new treatment modality in lung cancer, and reactivating immune responses that are silenced by immune checkpoints is an idea that has recently gained a lot of interest. Immune checkpoint blockade has already shown promising preclinical and clinical results in several cancer types. PD-1 is a receptor present on activated T cells, which mediates immunosuppression primarily in peripheral tissues, where PD-1 ligands, PD-L1 and PD-L2 share an immunosuppressive activity and may be produced by either tumor cells or stromal/tumor-infiltrating immune cells.
In clinical trials, PD-1 or PD-L1 blocking antibodies were associated with response in up to 50% of several human cancers, including metastatic melanoma, non-small cell lung carcinoma (NSCLC), renal cell, head and neck and bladder carcinomas, with a preferential, but not exclusive, response rate in PD-L1 positive tumors.
Due to the benefit of immunotherapy, new treatment paradigms have been implemented in first and second line treatment of NSCLC. To date, PD-L1's role in predicting response to specific targeted treatments is not completely understood. In a recent meta-analysis, a higher response of PD-L1 positive tumors (compared to negative ones) was reported for melanomas (45% vs 27%) and non-squamous lung carcinomas (29% vs 11%). However, the treatment efficacy had also been observed in PD-L1 negative patients, therefore suggesting that other biomarkers, in addition to PD-L1, may be needed to identify all patients potentially benefiting from PD-L1/PD-1 blockade. Interestingly, beyond PD-L1 expression, more predictive biomarkers may improve the identification of sensitive patients.
The IASLC is deeply engaged in the field of immunotherapy, with one of its main projects being the "Blueprint PD-L1 IHC Assay Comparison Project," a reference study for pathologists and clinicians. Special attention has also been paid to the management of immunotherapy-related adverse events with the production of enduring material for nurses and patients.
Finally, in 2018 the IASLC is gathering together industry leaders to promote educational activities around the globe. I strongly suggest that you follow the ongoing development of our proposals and projects through our website, the IASLC Lung Cancer News (ILCN), and by following us on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn and Instagram.
Fred R. Hirsch, IASLC Chief Executive Officer
Dear Colleagues,
The IASLC is in the midst of a very busy meeting season.
We just had a meeting on neoadjuvant therapy with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) where we discussed the scientific rationale, how to design clinical trials and particularly how to define trial endpoints. Harmonization in the field is important as we move forward, and the IASLC is proud to be on the forefront of this developing area in cancer therapy.
By the time this newsletter comes out, the IASLC will have just finished hosting an educational meeting on immunotherapy in lung cancer in Madrid, Spain - titled the IASLC Lung Cancer Immunotherapy Meeting 2018. The field of immunotherapy is moving very quickly and having a thoracic-specific immunotherapy meeting to discuss the current status, challenges and opportunities of the treatment is a timely and important endeavor. We are hoping that this new meeting will happen on an annual basis going forward.
The IASLC 19th World Conference on Lung Cancer (#WCLC2018) in Toronto, Canada, is coming closer, and the local organizers are working hard to ensure its success. We encourage all of our members to register early to receive the best rate. Registration and abstract submission are now open on the conference's official site.
Even as we move forward with our busy meeting schedule, there are many other IASLC activities happening this year. We are still working hard on establishing a strategic plan to govern the organization for the next five years, which includes development goals and objectives pertaining to the educational, research and governance arms of our organization. We hope that as many members as possible will be involved in this activity through committees, task forces and other mechanisms. The IASLC office and leadership are committed to communicating the ongoing development of this process to members on a regular basis.
Additionally, we encourage members who feel that they wish to be more engaged in our organization - either with the development of the strategic plan or other initiatives - to contact the IASLC Membership Department. Contact information for this department can be found on our website.
Targeted Therapies and Neoadjuvant Meetings Wrap-up!
February and March were busy months at the IASLC, with two important meetings happening almost back-to-back.
First, the IASLC 18th Lung Cancer Targeted Therapies Meeting 2018 (#LCTT18), held February 21-24 in Santa Monica, California, once again had record attendance and over 200 invited speakers. We appreciate all the presenters who summarized their data in short five to ten minute presentations and all the participants who attended the event. Look for more detail about this meeting in the next issue of the IASLC Lung Cancer News.
Next, the IASLC partnered with the FDA for the IASLC-FDA Lung Cancer Neoadjuvant Meeting 2018 (#LCN18), held March 1-2 in Rockville, Maryland. The IASLC is uniquely positioned to bring together medical experts, industry and regulatory agencies to discuss neoadjuvant clinical trial design. Because there is a lack of standardization in lung cancer neoadjuvant clinical trials, including definitions and criteria for response, the IASLC hopes that bringing global experts together will help ensure some standardization to move these trials forward. Read more about the meeting’s goals.
Outstanding Women and the IASLC Foundation
The IASLC Foundation partnered with Anne Phillips to hold the first ever Quiz for a Cause event with Geeks Who Drink at Parry’s Pizza in Greenwood Village, Colorado, on March 1, 2018. The event showcased Anne’s hard work over the past few months where she raised over $6,000 for the IASLC Foundation.
A check was presented by Chris Draft, former NFL player and founder of the Chris Draft Family Foundation, for Anne’s participation in the Chris Draft Super Bowl Challenge. Anne won fourth place out of 18 participating teams composed of lung cancer survivors and families who strive for lung cancer awareness. Read more.
Upcoming Webinars
Every month, the IASLC hosts several academic webinars covering the diagnosis, staging and treatment of lung cancer and other thoracic malignancies. Be sure to check out our official website for the latest updates.
Right now, you can register for our upcoming webinar on the updated molecular testing guideline, which will take place on March 29 and features Dr. Yasushi Yatabe. You can also register for our webinar on genomic analysis of plasma cell-free DNA, which is coming up on April 10 and features Dr. Geoffrey R. Oxnard.
Lysa Buonanno, Lung Cancer Survivor and Advocate | @lysabee
I recently attended my second IASLC Lung Cancer Targeted Therapies Meeting (#TTLC18), sponsored by the IASLC. Attendance is by invitation only and is geared toward those that work in the lung cancer arena. Other advocates have referred to the meeting as “scientific speed dating,” as it is very fast paced with presentations being five minutes or less. The presenters summarize the data on new targeted therapies and immunotherapies - most of which is new and unpublished information.
As a lung cancer survivor and advocate, I was honored to meet and talk with several great oncologists and researchers. Thanks to @IASLC and @lcfamerica, I participated in a new patient-led video conversation with oncologists called Hope With Answersalong with three other survivors/advocates: @GoldmanLisa, @JFreemanDaily and Allen Fremont.
We covered several topics that were separated into segments for three different types of patients: the newly diagnosed, those with a basic knowledge, and those with a more in-depth knowledge of lung cancer and its treatments. These videos, along with information shared by patients, advocates and experts in the field through social media channels, is useful for the many patients who don’t have access to specialists in their region. We look forward to having more doctors and patients participate in the future.
March 2018: The IASLC and the Journal of Thoracic Oncology (JTO) are pleased to present the Editor's Choice each month to highlight certain articles of interest. The articles below from the March 2018 issue of the JTO are free for three months. Please share with your colleagues around the globe!
Alex A. Adjei, MD, PhD Editor-in-Chief Journal of Thoracic Oncology
Do you have a colleague that is not yet an IASLC member? Help them win free registration for this year’s WCLC by participating in our non-member survey. Please share this link with your colleagues and contacts in lung cancer to help us collect feedback about our benefits, programs and services.
Free Membership for Patients/Survivors/Caregivers
The IASLC has a free membership option for patients, survivors and caregivers of any thoracic malignancy. All patients/survivors with a diagnosis of lung cancer, mesothelioma or other thoracic cancer, and caregivers providing services and care to loved ones affected by thoracic malignancies, qualify for this free membership.
Patients/survivors/caregivers can renew this non-voting membership annually. Except for voting, the patient/survivor/caregiver membership includes all Allied Health Professional member benefits. It also includes online access to the JTO, member meeting discounts, eligibility to apply for travel awards and eligibility to serve on IASLC committees. Register as Patient/Survivor/Caregiver.
Member Account Information
It’s important for the IASLC to keep our records up to date so that members can receive important information via email and postal letter. To ensure that our records are current, please sign into your IASLC account to edit any details that may need updating. You can always email updates to membership@iaslc.org or call +1 720-598-1949.
To continue building on the momentum of the 2017 Lung Cancer Awareness Month Coalition (LCAMC) harmonized strategy, the IASLC held a kickoff meeting in Santa Monica, California, during the IASLC 18th Annual Targeted Therapies of the Treatment of Lung Cancer Meeting. At the meeting, we fleshed out our goals for this year, which include further developing our campaign's website, building on the success of donated ad space and continuing to leverage support from our partners and sponsors.
The LCAM website is a year-round resource to read stories of those affected by lung cancer. The lung cancer community can participate by submitting personal stories to be included in the site. You can also sign up on the site to receive email updates about its continuing development and follow the campaign on Facebook and Twitter feeds that are specifically devoted to the campaign.
IASLC Foundation Cancer Care Team Award NominationForm– NOW OPEN
We're excited to announce that the nomination period is open for the IASLC Foundation Cancer Care Team Award. Now in its second year, this award is designed to recognize outstanding patient care and aims to honor multidisciplinary teams working together to provide the highest quality cancer care.
Nominations for this award will be accepted from all over the world. The winning team will select one representative to attend the IASLC 19th World Conference on Lung Cancer (#WCLC2018) in Toronto, Canada. Learn more and nominate a team for the award.
2018 WCLC Advocacy Travel Award Application – NOW OPEN
Patient advocates and advocacy organizations can now apply for IASLC Patient Advocacy Travel Awards, which provide free registration and travel expense stipends for up to five patient advocates for the IASLC 19th World Conference on Lung Cancer (#WCLC2018) held September 23 - 26, 2018, in Toronto, Canada.
Advocacy travel award applicants are required to submit:
a detailed application,
a summary of expected outcomes for attending the meeting and
any other supporting documentation required for review by the IASLC.
The Lung Cancer Registry – OPEN for Patient Participation
The Lung Cancer Registry was started by the Bonnie J. Addario Lung Cancer Foundation and hopes to build a comprehensive data repository to help researchers and clinicians better identify and understand the complexities of this disease. Patients and/or caregivers on behalf of patients can participate. The IASLC is a contributing partner for this initiative. Learn more about how you can help.
The IASLC’s premier journal, emphasizing a multidisciplinary approach including original research (clinical trials and translational or basic research), reviews and opinion pieces.
IASLC President
Fred R. Hirsch, IASLC Chief Executive Officer
March 2018: The IASLC and the Journal of Thoracic Oncology (JTO) are pleased to present the Editor's Choice each month to highlight certain articles of interest. The articles below from the March 2018 issue of the JTO are free for three months. Please share with your colleagues around the globe! 
Form – NOW OPEN
