Heather A. Wakelee, MD, FASCO

Articles

Unmet Needs and Future Perspectives of RET-Positive NSCLC

January 15th 2025

Panelists discuss the unmet needs and future perspectives in the treatment of RET-positive non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), focusing on areas for improvement in therapy and the potential for new treatment strategies.

Monitoring Patients With RET-Positive NSCLC

January 15th 2025

Panelists discuss how to monitor patients for response to treatment and early signs of resistance in RET fusion–positive non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), including the approach to follow-up molecular testing, and describe strategies for treatment sequencing after disease progression on RET inhibitors.

Managing RET Inhibitor Treatment-Related Adverse Events

January 8th 2025

Panelists discuss the common adverse effects for patients receiving selpercatinib or pralsetinib, strategies for managing these effects, and whether differences in the safety profiles of these drugs influence treatment choices for RET fusion–positive non–small cell lung cancer.

Role of Immunotherapy and Chemotherapy in RET-Positive NSCLC

January 8th 2025

Panelists discuss the situations in which other first-line therapies, such as cabozantinib or PD-L1–positive chemotherapy options, might be considered for RET fusion–positive non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), and compare the role of chemotherapy and immunotherapy to that of RET inhibitors in this setting.

Considerations for First-Line Targeted Therapies in Metastatic RET-Positive NSCLC

January 1st 2025

Panelists discuss the specific factors that influence the decision to initiate one of the NCCN guideline–preferred RET inhibitors, selpercatinib or pralsetinib, over the other in the treatment of RET fusion–positive NSCLC.

Patient and Therapy Considerations Guiding Initiation of Treatment in RET-Positive NSCLC

January 1st 2025

Panelists discuss their initial impressions of a patient case with RET fusion–positive non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), treatment goals for newly diagnosed patients, and the key patient and disease characteristics considered when selecting a first-line treatment regimen.

Initial Approach to Management of RET-Positive NSCLC

December 25th 2024

Panelists discuss the initial approach to the management of RET-positive non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), focusing on treatment strategies and the role of targeted therapies such as RET inhibitors in first-line treatment.

Clinical-Decision Making: When to Treat Advanced NSCLC Without Mutational Results

December 25th 2024

Panelists discuss how to balance the need for comprehensive biomarker testing with the urgency to initiate treatment in patients with advanced disease and explore situations where treatment might be started before test results are available.

Practical Considerations in Metastatic NSCLC: Access and Timing of Testing

December 17th 2024

Panelists discuss strategies for clinicians without access to in-house molecular testing, focusing on how to ensure appropriate turnaround times when outsourcing tests and share insights on the typical timeline for receiving biomarker testing results at their respective institutions.

Testing Methodologies and Standards in Metastatic NSCLC

December 17th 2024

Panelists discuss the various tests available for detecting genetic mutations in advanced non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), including next-generation sequencing (NGS), reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH), immunohistochemistry (IHC), and Sanger sequencing, and explore whether one method is considered the “gold standard” according to the NCCN guidelines. They also address the appropriate use of circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) testing, comparing it to tissue testing in this disease state.

Next Steps to Stage IIIB NSCLC Patient Case Awaiting Molecular Testing and Usability of Liquid Biopsy

December 10th 2024

Panelists discuss how molecular testing is crucial in guiding treatment for advanced non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), emphasizing the prevalence of mutations like BRAF, KRAS, MET, RET, and EGFR, and their impact on selecting targeted therapies.

Patient Case: 67 Year-Old Male With Stage IIIB+ NSCLC Awaiting for Mutation Testing

December 10th 2024

Panelists discuss how the treatment approach for a 67-year-old man with stage IIIB+ non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) awaiting mutation testing involves balancing the urgency of initiating therapy with the importance of molecular testing to guide targeted treatment decisions.

Dr Wakelee on the Implications of the TRUST-II Trial of Taletrectinib in ROS1+ NSCLC

November 13th 2023

Heather Wakelee, MD, FASCO, discusses the significance of early data on the use of taletrectinib in patients with ROS1-positive non–small cell lung cancer from the phase 2 TRUST-II trial.

Dr Wakelee on Unmet Needs in Cancer Care Because of the United States Chemotherapy Shortage

August 7th 2023

Heather Wakelee, MD, FASCO, discusses unmet needs in cancer care stemming from the ongoing platinum chemotherapy shortage in the United States, highlighting the need for newer, better drugs to help treat patients.

Dr Wakelee on Key Trials With Perioperative Immunotherapy in Early-Stage NSCLC

August 4th 2023

Heather Wakelee, MD, FASCO, discusses the clinical significance of updated data from several key trials evaluating perioperative immunotherapy in early-stage non–small cell lung cancer.

Neoadjuvant Strategies in Resectable Non–Small Cell Lung Cancer

July 26th 2022

Comprehensive review on various neoadjuvant strategies under review in the setting of resectable non–small cell lung cancer.

Molecular Testing in Advanced-Stage NSCLC: Use of Liquid Biopsy

July 5th 2022

Expert oncologists briefly highlight the role of liquid biopsy in the setting of advanced-stage non–small cell lung cancer.

Use of Molecular Profiling in Early-Stage Non–Small Cell Lung Cancer

July 5th 2022

A focused discussion on the use of molecular profiling in early-stage non–small cell lung cancer to inform decisions on adjuvant and neoadjuvant strategies.

Real-World Data and Barriers to Use of Molecular Testing in NSCLC

June 28th 2022

A brief review of real-world data behind molecular profiling in non–small cell lung cancer, followed by a discussion on barriers to testing and uptake.

Optimal Molecular Testing Practices in Non–Small Cell Lung Cancer

June 28th 2022

Expert panelists share insight on molecular testing practices across all subtypes of non–small cell lung cancer to optimally inform treatment decisions.