Stage IV
A stage in which tumors are found in both lungs; or the lung cancer has spread to other parts of the body, such as the brain, bones, liver, or adrenal glands
In-vivo and in-vitro diagnostics to improve lung cancer care
Dr. Nair is developing a blood test to help determine whether a pulmonary nodule seen on a PET-scan imaging screen is cancerous. The goal of this test, which will make use of circulating molecular biomarkers, is to accurately determine which patients are most likely to have lung cancer and, therefore, should have biopsies or surgery.
Determining mechanisms of resistance to next-generation EGFR inhibitors
Dr. Sequist will develop models that explain how NSCLC patients can acquire drug resistance to targeted therapies after a period of initial successful treatment, leading to the development of new treatments to help patients overcome the drug resistance.