Mortality rates from the most common lung cancer, non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), have fallen sharply in the United States in recent years, due primarily to recent advances in treatment, a study from the National Cancer Institute (NCI) shows (Howlader, 2020, N Engl J Med).

“Reduced tobacco consumption in the U.S. has been associated with a progressive decrease in lung cancer deaths that started around 1990 in men and around 2000 in women. Until now, however, we have not known whether newer treatments might contribute to some of the recent improvement,” said Douglas R. Lowy, MD, NCI deputy director and co-author of the study. “This analysis shows for the first time that nationwide mortality rates for the most common category of lung cancer, non-small cell lung cancer, are declining faster than its incidence, an advance that correlates with the [U.S. Food and Drug Administration] approval of several targeted therapies for this cancer in recent years.”

According to a release from the NCI, researchers found that, in recent years, deaths from NSCLC decreased even faster than the decrease in NSCLC incidence and the decrease in deaths was associated with a substantial improvement in survival. For example, deaths among men from NSCLC decreased 3.2% annually from 2006-2013 and 6.3% annually from 2013-2016, whereas incidence decreased 1.9% annually during 2001- 2008 and 3.1% annually from 2008-2016.

Two-year survival for men with NSCLC improved over this time, from 26% for patients diagnosed in 2001 to 35% for those diagnosed in 2014. Similar improvement was observed for women. In addition, improvements in two-year survival were seen for all races/ethnicities, despite concerns that the newer cancer treatments, many of which are expensive, might increase disparities.

From Cleveland Clinic: Jae Jung, PhD has been appointed chair of Lerner Research Institute's Department of Cancer Biology lead the department’s work in understanding the biological underpinnings of cancer ranging from genetic and molecular pathways to disease manifestation.

He will also serve as director of the Cleveland Clinic's new Center for Global and Emerging Pathogens Research which will focus on public health threats ranging from the Zika virus to SARS-CoV-2.

Dr. Jung is a member of the Case Comprehensive Cancer Center's Molecular Oncology Program.

This year, our Annual Scientific Retreat was kicked off with TED-style talks from Jill Barnholtz-Sloan, PhD, Edward Barksdale, MD, and Eileen Saffran, LISW-S on team science, antifragility and purpose.

The Case Comprehensive Cancer Center extends congratulations to Mike Berk, a long-time caregiver at Cleveland Clinic Lerner Research Institute, for receiving the Cleveland Clinic’s first R50 (Research Specialist) award from the National Cancer Institute (NCI).

The five-year award will support his translational research related to genitourinary cancers in the lab of Nima Sharifi, MD. R50 awards are very competitive and provide critical career opportunities for scientists working at a high level within existing programs.

Ted Teknos, MD, president and scientific director of the Seidman Cancer Center at University Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center and Deputy Director for University Hospitals at Case Comprehensive Cancer Center spoke with SurvivorNet, sharing ways to improve diversity in clinical trials and steps to encourage change.

Researchers at Cleveland Clinic have developed and validated a risk prediction model (nomogram) to help physicians predict which recently COVID-19 positive patients are at greatest risk for hospitalization. The model, published in Plos One, is the second COVID-19 related nomogram developed by the team led by Lara Jehi, MD, chief research information officer at Cleveland Clinic and Michael Kattan, PhD, chair of Lerner Research Institute's Department of Quantitative Health Sciences. Dr. Kattan is a member of the Case Comprehensive Cancer Center's Cancer Prevention, Control & Population Research Program.

The retrospective cohort study of over 4,500 SARS-CoV-2 positive patients in Ohio and Florida found that hospitalization risk was increased with older age, black race, male sex, former smoking history, diabetes, hypertension, chronic lung disease, poor socioeconomic status, shortness of breath, diarrhea and certain medications. Prior flu vaccination decreased hospitalization risk (Jehi, 2020, Plos One).

The model has been programmed into a freely available online risk calculator to help facilitate complex medical decision-making.

The Case Comprehensive Cancer Center is now accepting applications for the Fall 2020 pilot funding opportunities:

Questions? Contact casecccpilots@case.edu or Julie DeJager Glavic at 216.368.5780.

This program supports innovative research from emerging investigators around the world to advance scientific knowledge in areas of unmet medical need and improve the lives of patients everywhere.

Awards provide financial support to 2 junior faculty researchers from the United States or Canada for a 2-year period. Each award is funded up to $130,000 (US), to be paid in annual installments of up to $65,000 per year for 2 years.