2026: New Research and Updates in Lung Cancer - Best of ASCO | 07.21.26 | Lung Cancer Living Room®

In this annual "Best of ASCO" episode of the Lung Cancer Living Room® where we highlight exciting new lung cancer research and updates, GO2 for Lung Cancer’s Danielle Hicks is joined by Kyle Concannon, MD, thoracic medical oncologist and Assistant Professor at the University of Colorado Cancer Center, to break down some of the most important lung cancer research presented at ASCO 2026 and what these developments may mean for patients. The conversation begins with precision medicine and the growing importance of comprehensive biomarker testing. Dr. Concannon explains how identifying the biology driving a person’s cancer can help guide targeted therapy and clinical-trial options, why testing may need to be repeated as a cancer changes over time, and how liquid biopsy can sometimes provide additional information when disease progresses. Among the major targeted-therapy updates is long-term follow-up from the CROWN trial of lorlatinib for advanced ALK-positive non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), including remarkable progression-free survival results and a discussion of higher-risk ALK subgroups that may progress sooner. The episode also covers sunvozertinib for EGFR exon 20 insertion-positive NSCLC, the LIBRETTO-432 trial of selpercatinib in earlier-stage RET-positive disease, and new findings exploring ALK-targeted therapy in the neoadjuvant setting. Dr. Concannon also reviews emerging immunotherapy strategies, including newer bispecific approaches designed to target both immune checkpoints and pathways involved in tumor blood-vessel growth. The discussion includes pumitamig and research evaluating these next-generation approaches across different groups of patients. In small cell lung cancer (SCLC), the episode looks at rapidly evolving DLL3-directed therapies, including tarlatamab, a bispecific T-cell engager, as well as emerging CAR T-cell approaches. Dr. Concannon explains how DLL3 testing may factor into clinical-trial eligibility and discusses the TRIPLEX study evaluating thoracic radiation with chemo-immunotherapy in extensive-stage SCLC. The program also explores antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs), which use antibodies to carry potent drug payloads toward cancer cells, and the growing role of circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) as a potential tool for monitoring treatment response, minimal residual disease and progression. Dr. Concannon discusses both the promise and the current limitations of ctDNA and liquid biopsy, including situations in which tissue testing may still be important. Looking ahead, Dr. Concannon shares what most excites him about the future of lung cancer treatment, including combining existing treatments in smarter and more personalized ways. Danielle and Dr. Concannon also discuss artificial intelligence, machine learning and “digital twins”—and the possibilities and limitations of using large datasets and general AI tools to generate more individualized information for patients. The episode concludes with audience questions, including discussion of why some ALK-positive cancers may progress despite treatment and what may be ahead for people with metastatic lung adenocarcinoma who have low PD-L1 expression and no currently actionable genomic alteration. The conversation then turns to GO2 for Lung Cancer’s LungMATCH program. LungMATCH can help people search for clinical trials that may fit their diagnosis, treatment history, biomarker results and individual circumstances. The LungMATCH team can also help you better understand your biomarker testing results and treatment options, and provide guidance as you prepare for conversations with your healthcare team. To connect with LungMATCH, contact GO2 for Lung Cancer’s HelpLine: 1-800-298-2436 | support@go2.org Chapters: 00:00:00 Cold Open 00:02:24 Meet Kyle Concannon, MD 00:05:14 Precision medicine and targeted therapy 00:06:54 The importance of biomarker testing 00:12:16 CROWN trial and long-term lorlatinib results 00:16:06 New treatment for EGFR exon 20 insertion-positive NSCLC 00:21:03 CROWN: higher-risk ALK subgroups 00:23:57 LIBRETTO-432 and RET-positive lung cancer 00:26:13 Biomarkers and targeted therapy in earlier-stage disease 00:28:11 Neoadjuvant ALK therapy 00:33:22 New findings in immunotherapy 00:39:28 Pumitamig 00:42:01 Small cell lung cancer developments 00:44:58 CAR T-cell therapy 00:46:55 DLL3 testing in SCLC 00:48:34 TRIPLEX study 00:50:28 Antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs) 00:56:09 ctDNA and monitoring progression 01:00:25 The future of lung cancer treatment 01:01:35 AI and digital twins 01:03:04 Personalized answers from general AI data 01:05:14 Audience questions 01:08:30 GO2’s LungMATCH clinical trial navigation