Research Database

Dr. Byers is building on her discovery that patients with small cell lung cancer (SCLC) have an overabundance of the protein PARP1, which helps repair damaged DNA in SCLC cell lines and tumors. She is using the data from a Phase II clinical trial to discover which patients are most likely to benefit from treatment that combines a PARP inhibitor drug with chemotherapy.

Dr. Hassanein is using 164 proteins found only in lung cancer patients to develop a method to test the patient’s blood for its own antibodies to these proteins. His goal is to use these proteins as biomarkers in a blood test that will find lung cancer in its earliest, most treatable stage.

Dr. Maher is working to improve on the accuracy and usability of tests that identify lung cancer patients who are likely to relapse. He is using next-generation sequencing techniques to develop a signature set of key genetic changes  and convert it to a clinical test that will be able to predict who is at high risk for relapse.

Dr. Nair is developing a blood test to help determine whether a pulmonary nodule seen on a PET-scan imaging screen is cancerous. The goal of this test, which will make use of circulating molecular biomarkers, is to accurately determine which patients are most likely to have lung cancer and, therefore, should have biopsies or surgery.

Not every nodule detected on a CT scan is malignant. However, an invasive biopsy is often needed to determine this. Dr. Jeffrey Borgia’s team has discovered that malignant and benign nodules produce different types of proteins in the blood. Based on this finding, they are developing a simple blood test to predict which nodules require follow-up.

Patients with stage I and II lung cancer usually undergo surgery to treat their cancer. Sometimes, the cancer comes back. Using chemotherapy with surgery can prevent the cancer’s return. Dr. Carbone is studying how we can identify which stage I and II patients may benefit from chemotherapy.

Metformin is an FDA-approved drug for the treatment of diabetes. Dr. Edward Gabrielson and his colleagues have found that a gene called LKB1 is altered in 40% of lung cancer patients. He is studying whether lung cancer cells with mutations in LKB1 are sensitive to metformin. His ultimate goal is to use an already-approved drug for the treatment of LKB1-positive lung cancers.

Targeted therapies have shown great promise. However, up to 40% of patients with lung cancer do not test positive for a known target. Dr. Rebecca Heist is studying this group of patients and using DNA sequencing technology to identify novel targets for treatment.

Cancer cells make chemicals that attract blood vessels. This process is known as angiogenesis. Drugs that inhibit angiogenesis are already being used to treat lung cancer patients. Unfortunately, not all patients respond to angiogenesis inhibitors. Dr. John Heymach is studying what determines whether a patient will respond.

Computed tomography (CT) has a high false-positive rate. Less than 5% of people with nodules found through CT actually have lung cancer. Cells from benign nodules differ from malignant ones in two ways: they have a normal number of chromosomes and they make the same proteins as normal lung cells. Dr. York Miller is taking advantage of these differences. His team is developing a sputum-based test to determine whether a nodule is malignant or benign. The test will help decide whether the nodule requires follow-up.

Biomarker-based tests that complement CT will make it easier to detect lung cancer early. These tests should also be useful for both high-risk (current and former smokers) and low-risk (never-smokers) populations. Dr. Suzanne Miyamoto and her team are studying different protein, fat, and sugar molecules made by lung cancer cells. These different molecules can also be found in the blood of lung cancer patients. Their ultimate goal is to develop a blood test for the early detection of lung cancer.

CT scans often detect the presence of a lung nodule. Most of these nodules are benign. Dr. Edward Patz and his colleagues have discovered 25 auto-antibodies (protein molecules) found in the blood of non-small cell lung cancer patients. They are developing a simple, blood-based test to confirm these findings in larger groups of these patients.

Pemetrexed is a chemotherapy drug commonly used for the treatment of non-small cell lung cancer. The drug blocks two proteins called DHFR and TS that cancer cells need to grow. Not all patients respond to pemetrexed. Dr. Alexander Whitehead is studying how changes in the DHFR and TS genes predict response of non-small cell lung cancer patients to pemetrexed.

Lung cancer cells produce different types of proteins and RNA molecules that circulate in the blood. Dr. Steven Dubinett and his team have discovered 17 unique miRNAs in the blood of lung cancer patients and other high-risk individuals, such as smokers. Blood of healthy and low-risk people do not have these miRNAs. They are developing an miRNA-based blood test to predict which high-risk individual might develop lung cancer.

Never-smokers with lung cancer represent 15% of all lung cancer patients. However, never-smokers do not undergo computed tomography (CT) for screening. Dr. Samir Hanash and his team are identifying biomarkers in the blood of low-risk people. Their ultimate aim is to develop a blood test to screen never-smokers.

The Initiative is developing a panel of blood-based biomarkers that will improve the reliability of different imaging approaches. It is also exploring markers that will predict the recurrence of lung cancer.

Dr. Adusumilli is studying patients who underwent surgery for early-stage lung cancer but whose lung cancer returned because of a condition in which the cancer extends to the pleural membrane covering the lung cancer. Using genetic engineering, Dr. Adusumilli is modifying the patient’s own immune cells in a way that may not only eliminate the spread of tumor cells to the pleura but may also treat the spread of the cancer by tumors too small to be detected.

Radiation therapy is used for the treatment of lung cancer. Sometimes, the cancer does not respond to radiation. Dr. An is developing new drugs to make lung cancer cells sensitive to radiation. The primary goal of the research is to provide lung cancer patients with a customized combination treatment of the drugs and radiation therapy.

Dr. Bennett is evaluating potential biomarkers for their use in identifying lung cancer patients by comparing blood samples taken from patients with lung cancer and from patients without lung cancer. His goal is to build a panel of biomarkers that will aid in diagnosis.

Dr. Borgia is developing a process based on biomarkers derived from tissue and clinical factors such as age, smoking history, histology, and stage of diagnosis of lung cancer. This process will identify which patients with advanced-stage lung cancer will respond to medical treatment and thus qualify for surgery that potentially could cure the cancer.