Innate immunity as a mechanism of TKI resistance in fusion-driven NSCLC

This grant was funded in part by The Huff Project
Erin Schenk, MD, PhD
University of Colorado
Boulder

Fusion-driven NSCLC is a group of lung cancers that are driven by specific changes in oncogenes. These lung cancers tend to be addicted to these oncogenes. Such fusion-driven NSCLCs are treated with targeted therapies that block the effect of the oncogenes. However, the cancer inevitably comes back because the tumors become resistant. Traditionally, fusion-driven NSCLCs have not been successfully treated with immunotherapy. Dr. Schenk is testing how these cancers can be treated with immunotherapy through another immune pathway—the innate immunity pathway.