(Diane Mulligan) - Small cell lung cancer (SCLC) is among the most aggressive, deadliest forms of lung cancer, yet it’s still too often overlooked. For decades, treatment options were limited, offering little hope to those diagnosed with SCLC, until now.

In 2013, Congress passed legislation that mandated the National Cancer Institute create a scientific plan for treating patients with less than a 50% chance of surviving 5 years. This included SCLC. With this focus on research, SCLC, once considered a hopeless diagnosis because of its swift spread and resistance to standard treatment, is now seeing real momentum. Breakthrough research has increased the number of treatment options by 67% giving doctors new tools and patients new reasons to hope.

Because of research, treatments like the recently FDA-approved Tarlatamab belong to a class of drugs called bispecific T-cell engagers (BiTEs), which harness the immune system to combat cancer. Another treatment, Lurbinectedin, slows or stops the growth of cancer cells in your body.  There are also next-generation approaches, such as CAR T-cell therapy and antibody-drug conjugates, and many others, now in clinical trials. Clinical trials, once a last resort, are rapidly becoming a front door to tomorrow’s breakthroughs.

Early detection is critical. Screening is the best way to find SCLC early.

Wendy Brooks knows this firsthand. Wendy had a history of lung cancer in her family. She pushed hard to get screened, and her cancer was caught early, rare for this disease. Through two clinical trials, Wendy has kept the cancer confined to her lung and is living fully. She credits screening and participating in clinical trials with saving her life.

“I’m here today because of research,” Wendy says. “I want others to know there’s hope, and clinical trials can be a lifeline.”

Thoracic oncologist Dr. Jacob Sands echoes that optimism: “I have patients more than five years out from that initial diagnosis doing great, living their lives and not on treatment. And I’ll go as far as to say that I think some patients are cured of their incurable disease.”

Lung Cancer Foundation of America (LCFA) is raising awareness of the lifesaving power of early screening, new treatments, and the growing promise of clinical trials for people facing SCLC.

LCFA is a nonprofit organization dedicated to eradicating lung cancer through research, education, and awareness programs. Committed to improving patient outcomes, donations to LCFA fund innovative research projects, educational initiatives, and advocacy for increased resources for lung cancer research.

Donate today to fight Lung Cancer at LCFAmerica.org

**Image Captions: 
Wendy Brooks, Lung Cancer Patient (header image)
Dr. Jacob Sands, Thoracic Oncologist at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute