Lung cancer research projects
Ongoing lung cancer research projects
Completed lung cancer projects
Learn more about our completed lung cancer projects.
Small-cell lung cancer (SCLC)
Lung cancer is the deadliest cancer, causing more years of life lost than the other three most common cancers altogether (breast, prostate and colon cancer). Small-cell lung cancer (SCLC) accounts for 13-15% of lung cancer cases. Untreated, the prognosis is poor (2-4 months) since SCLC grows more rapidly and metastasizes more frequently than other types of lung cancer. Due to the aggressive biology, it has been estimated that SCLC causes 4% of all cancer related deaths.
Patients with localized disease are offered surgery followed by adjuvant chemotherapy and/or radiotherapy and prophylactic cranial irradiation, but very few are operable since most have regional or metastatic disease at the time of diagnosis. For inoperable patients, chemotherapy is the main treatment. Chemotherapy alone has until recently been the standard treatment for patients with more widespread disease. Up to 90% of limited stage patients respond and 25-30% are cured by chemoradiotherapy and are alive after 5 years. The response rate is lower for extensive stage (approx. 65%), almost all patients relapse within 1-2 years, and the 5-year survival is around 3%.
Cancers are recognized by the immune system, and the immune system may control or even eliminate tumors. PD-L1 is expressed in a broad range of cancers, and it is well established that anti–PD-L1 and anti PD-1 antibodies have clinical activity and a manageable safety profile in a wide range of cancers, including lung cancer.
So far, several studies of ICIs in SCLC have been negative. Combining chemotherapy with an ICI is the new standard first-line regimen for ES SCLC, however whether this provides long-term survival is unknown due to the short follow-up time.
TRIPLEX
Randomized phase III trial investigating the survival benefit of adding thoracic radiotherapy to durvalumab (MEDI4736) immunotherapy plus chemotherapy in extensive stage small-cell lung cancer (TRIPLEX)
The TRIPLEX trial aims to investigate whether adding thoracic radiotherapy to a treatment course of chemoimmunotherapy improves survival for patients with small-cell lung cancer in extensive stage. 302 patients will be included at hospitals in seven countries in 2022-2025.
ACHILES
A randomized phase II study comparing atezolizumab after concurrent chemoradiotherapy with chemoradiotherapy alone in limited disease small-cell lung cancer.
The ACHILES trial aims to improve overall survival in patients with limited disease small-cell lung cancer who have completed chemoradiotherapy.
Small-cell lung cancer classification
Small-cell lung cancer (SCLC) is an aggressive kind of lung cancer, characterized by rapid growth and high metastatic potential. Currently, no subclassification of SCLC is available, nor targeted therapies. In general, there have been few improvements in SCLC treatment the last decades, underlining the need for better diagnostics and classification.
In a large initiative including several projects, we are currently aiming towards developing a classification system for SCLC that will lead to more targeted treatment, better symptom control and better predictions of treatment outcomes.