Dr. Lynch on Molecular Profiling in Lung Cancer

Thomas J. Lynch, MD, Richard Sackler and Jonathan Sackler Professor of Medicine (Medical Oncology), director, Yale Cancer Center, physician-in-chief, Smilow Cancer Hospital at Yale-New Haven, Giant of Lung Cancer Care, discusses advances in molecular profiling in lung cancer.

Lynch says physicians have learned to molecularly profile non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and can now find an actionable mutation in 40-45% of patients.

As more is learned about mutations, more agents are being developed. There are now second- and third-generation EGFR inhibitors that could have greater efficacy than some older-generation drugs, Lynch says. New second-generation ALK inhibitors and ROS1 inhibitors are also showing promise.

The range of actionable mutations in NSCLC continues to increase, Lynch says, and physicians are now able to find an agent to interact with the specific mutation of the patient.