Premalignant Progression in the Lung: Knowledge Gaps and Novel Opportunities for Interception of Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer. An Official American Thoracic Society Research Statement

Authors

Seyed Javad Moghaddam
Rajkumar Savai
Ramin Salehi-Rad
Shreoshi Sengupta
Michael N Kammer
Pierre Massion
Jennifer E Beane
Edwin J Ostrin
Carmen Priolo
Meredith A Tennis
Laura P Stabile
Alison K Bauer
Catherine R Sears
Eva Szabo
M Patricia Rivera
Charles A Powell
Humam Kadara
Brendan J Jenkins
Steven M Dubinett
A McGarry Houghton
Carla F Kim
Robert L Keith

Publication Date

9-1-2024

Journal

American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine

Abstract

Rationale: Despite significant advances in precision treatments and immunotherapy, lung cancer is the most common cause of cancer death worldwide. To reduce incidence and improve survival rates, a deeper understanding of lung premalignancy and the multistep process of tumorigenesis is essential, allowing timely and effective intervention before cancer development. Objectives: To summarize existing information, identify knowledge gaps, formulate research questions, prioritize potential research topics, and propose strategies for future investigations into the premalignant progression in the lung. Methods: An international multidisciplinary team of basic, translational, and clinical scientists reviewed available data to develop and refine research questions pertaining to the transformation of premalignant lung lesions to advanced lung cancer. Results: This research statement identifies significant gaps in knowledge and proposes potential research questions aimed at expanding our understanding of the mechanisms underlying the progression of premalignant lung lesions to lung cancer in an effort to explore potential innovative modalities to intercept lung cancer at its nascent stages. Conclusions: The identified gaps in knowledge about the biological mechanisms of premalignant progression in the lung, together with ongoing challenges in screening, detection, and early intervention, highlight the critical need to prioritize research in this domain. Such focused investigations are essential to devise effective preventive strategies that may ultimately decrease lung cancer incidence and improve patient outcomes.

Keywords

Humans, Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung, Disease Progression, Lung Neoplasms, Precancerous Conditions, Societies, Medical, United States, lung cancer, premalignant progression, oncogenic transformation, interception

Comments

PMID: 39115548