Small Cell Lung Cancer
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Jul 06 – Jul 13, 2026
Consolidative Thoracic Radiotherapy With Atezolizumab Maintenance in Extensive-Stage Small Cell Lung Cancer: The Phase 2 TREASURE Randomized Clinical Trial (AIO-TRK-0320).
JAMA ONCOL · Q1 JOURNAL - RANK #14/326TOP-TIER
This phase 2 randomized clinical trial investigated consolidative thoracic radiotherapy (TRT) combined with atezolizumab maintenance versus atezolizumab alone in 68 patients with extensive-stage small cell lung cancer (ES-SCLC) after induction chemoimmunotherapy. The study found that TRT plus atezolizumab resulted in numerically shorter median overall survival (6.7 months vs 13.4 months; HR, 1.55) and similar median progression-free survival (2.4 months vs 2.6 months). Importantly, the combination arm showed significantly higher severe adverse events (61.3% vs 18.2%; P < .001) and fatal outcomes (19.4% vs 3.0%; P = .04). These findings suggest that adding consolidative TRT to immunotherapy maintenance in unselected ES-SCLC patients increases toxicity without survival benefit, highlighting the need for cautious patient selection.
10.1001/jamaoncol.2026.2330
Jun 08 – Jun 15, 2026
Electronic cigarette use after smoking cessation and lung cancer risk.
NAT MED · Q1 JOURNAL - RANK #1/195TOP-TIER
This large-scale cohort study of over 4.5 million Korean adults evaluated the association between post-cessation electronic cigarette use and lung cancer risk among former conventional smokers. Compared to complete quitters, e-cigarette users faced significantly higher risks of lung cancer incidence (aHR 1.56, 95% CI 1.24-1.97) and lung cancer-specific death (aHR 2.00, 95% CI 1.28-3.15). These associations remained consistent across both short-term and long-term quitters, with particularly pronounced risks observed in high-risk subgroups. The findings suggest that e-cigarette use may diminish the oncological benefits of smoking cessation, highlighting the clinical importance of promoting complete nicotine abstinence for lung cancer prevention.
10.1038/s41591-026-04469-5
Jun 01 – Jun 08, 2026
First-Line Serplulimab in Extensive-Stage Small Cell Lung Cancer: Secondary Analysis of the ASTRUM-005 Phase 3 Randomized Clinical Trial.
JAMA ONCOL · Q1 JOURNAL - RANK #14/326TOP-TIER
This secondary analysis of the ASTRUM-005 phase 3 randomized clinical trial investigated the long-term efficacy, safety, and patient-reported outcomes of first-line serplulimab plus chemotherapy for previously untreated extensive-stage small cell lung cancer (ES-SCLC). The study, with a median follow-up of 42.4 months, demonstrated that serplulimab significantly improved median overall survival (15.8 vs 11.1 months; HR 0.60; P < .001) and 4-year OS rates (21.9% vs 7.2%) compared to placebo plus chemotherapy. While grade 3 or higher adverse events were slightly more frequent with serplulimab (35.0% vs 29.1%), PROs showed consistent benefits. These findings support serplulimab plus chemotherapy as a new first-line standard of care for ES-SCLC.
10.1001/jamaoncol.2026.1645
SEZ6-targeting antibody-drug conjugate ABBV-706 in advanced small cell lung cancer and solid tumors: a phase 1 trial.
NAT MED · Q1 JOURNAL - RANK #1/195TOP-TIER
This phase 1 trial evaluated ABBV-706, a SEZ6-targeting antibody-drug conjugate, in 288 patients with advanced solid tumors, specifically focusing on relapsed/refractory small cell lung cancer (R/R SCLC). In the R/R SCLC cohort, the objective response rate was 52%, with a median overall survival of 12.4 months at the 1.8 mg/kg dose. Safety data showed grade 3 or higher treatment-related adverse events in 61% of patients, primarily anemia and fatigue, which were dose-dependent. These findings establish 1.8 mg/kg every three weeks as the recommended phase 2 dose, offering a promising new therapeutic strategy for neuroendocrine-derived cancers.
10.1038/s41591-026-04452-0
May 11 – May 18, 2026
Multicenter Cohort Study of Original or Substitute Systemic Therapy With or Without Brain Radiotherapy for Extensive-Stage Small Cell Lung Cancer With Brain-Only Progression After First-Line Treatment.
J CLIN ONCOL · Q1 JOURNAL - RANK #6/326TOP-TIER
This multicenter cohort study evaluated treatment strategies for extensive-stage small cell lung cancer (ES-SCLC) patients with brain-only progression after first-line therapy. Among 203 patients, continuing original systemic therapy plus brain radiotherapy (OTP + BRT) yielded significantly superior median overall survival (14.7 months) compared to substitution therapy alone (10.2 months; HR 1.68, p=0.028) or substitution plus BRT (9.8 months; HR 1.67, p=0.023). Second-line progression-free survival also favored OTP + BRT (8.0 vs 4.0 months; p=0.024), with greatest benefit in patients with prior immunotherapy and initial PFS ≥7.5 months. Clinically, this supports a site-of-progression-directed strategy maintaining an effective systemic backbone, directly relevant to managing brain metastases in SCLC without abandoning active first-line therapy.
10.1200/JCO-25-02536
Temporal Trends in Lung Cancer Cases Diagnosed at Early Stage.
JAMA ONCOL · Q1 JOURNAL - RANK #14/326TOP-TIER
This descriptive surveillance study analyzed US Cancer Statistics data from 2003 to 2022, involving over 4.3 million cases, to evaluate temporal trends in early-stage lung cancer diagnoses following the 2013 USPSTF screening recommendations. Results show early-stage diagnoses rose from 17.6% in 2003 to 30.1% in 2022, with a notable sharp increase starting in 2015 (21.4%) through 2016 (24.6%). The findings highlight a significant shift toward earlier detection, which correlates with improved treatment efficacy and expanded therapeutic options for patients. Despite these gains, low screening uptake—reported at under 20% in 2024—suggests a critical need for clinicians to prioritize screening awareness and patient education to further improve cancer control outcomes.
10.1001/jamaoncol.2026.1199