Additional Information

This program was based on a conference of multidisciplinary leaders in lung cancer research and clinical care. The focus of the program was to review new data, assess what is known, discuss opportunities and issues for developing novel agents alone and in combination, identify research priorities, and highlight was is important and promising for health care professionals in the community setting. The program developed content for a peer reviewed educational journal publication for medical oncologists and other health care professionals who wish to expand their understanding of new approaches to assessing, treating, and counseling lung cancer patients.

This program was directed by Thomas J. Lynch, Jr., MD , Chief, Division of Hematology and Oncology, Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center.

The proceedings of the meeting were published as a peer-reviewed supplement to the Journal of Thoracic Oncology, (JTO, Vol 3, No 6, Supplement 2, June 2008), including a CME activity based on the consensus summary. 

Links to the table of contents, consensus summary statement, journal website and the CME activity are below.

The CME activity is no longer valid.

Statement of Need
A variety of classes of novel agents are advancing and becoming available for the treatment of lung cancer, each designed to affect a specific cancer growth pathway.  As targets and agents have proliferated and advanced in development, so too has data showing that individual tumors differ biologically, and some tumors appear to succeed by using more than one pathway, or by switching pathways. This information raises important new issues for the development and assessment of novel agents in lung cancer, including: what is the optimal approach to drug development in this setting; is it appropriate and feasible to assess combination therapies even before each drug has established independent safety and efficacy; can we assess which combinations may be most appropriate for earlier testing?

There is a need to bring together leaders in clinical development, representing key constituencies in this discussion, to address these issues and develop preliminary recommendations for advancing development of novel agents effectively and rationally to optimize patient care.  There is also a need to communicate this information effectively to physicians who treat lung cancer patients, so that they are informed of the rationale and key data supporting the development of each of the most advanced classes of agents, and arguments surrounding combination therapy strategies.

Educational Grant Support
Supported by educational grants provided by: Genentech, AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Pfizer, Inc., Bayer Healthcare Pharmaceuticals and Onyx, Inc., Boehringer Ingelheim and EMD Serono.

Sponsorship
CME sponsorship is provided by InforMEDical Communications, Inc.