*June 2021*
Data from a landmark research study shows that the biology behind “young” lung cancer – lung cancer diagnosed under the age of 40 – is different from that of the general population. The Genomics of Young Lung Cancer study, conducted by GO2 Foundation for Lung Cancer and our partner organization the Addario Lung Cancer Medical Institute (ALCMI), along with a team of investigators, was recently published in the Journal of Thoracic Oncology Clinical Reports.
The study was innovative in its design as it enrolled 133 patients across five continents, nearly half of whom enrolled remotely online. Collaborating academic investigators included individuals from University of Southern California, Dana Faber Cancer Institute, University of Turin, The Ohio State University, and Inova Schar Cancer Institute, as well as the diagnostics company Foundation Medicine.
The main results show that 84% of patients with lung adenocarcinoma enrolled in the study had a targetable, driver mutation in their cancer which could indicate a targeted therapy. This is in stark contrast to the observation of the Lung Cancer Mutation Consortium, which reported that in patients of all ages, 35% of late stage lung adenocarcinomas had a mutation. Taken together, these data show how important it is for young patients to have comprehensive biomarker testing on their cancer to ensure proper treatment.
