Every January, the American Cancer Society releases a Cancer Facts & Figures report. It provides a clear view of where we stand in addressing cancer. The 2026 report brings both encouraging news and a sobering reminder that our work is far from over. The Big Picture Shows Real Progress Let’s start with the good news. We have made significant strides in cancer care over the past three decades. Since 1991, the cancer death rate has dropped by 34%. This translates to approximately 4.8 million lives saved. This number is much more than a statistic. It means millions of families didn’t lose a loved

Artificial intelligence (AI) is rapidly reshaping the future of cancer care, but such dramatic innovation also brings important questions. AI has evolved from early consumer tools (like autocorrect on phones, customer service chatbots, and personalized shopping recommendations) to advanced systems with the potential to revolutionize biomedical discovery and patient care. While there is tremendous excitement around AI, there is also a critical need to use it responsibly. Researchers are actively studying how to implement AI across the lung cancer continuum. Key areas of focus include improving

The human immune system is an intricate web of checks and balances that usually excels at detecting and destroying foreign invaders, such as bacteria and viruses, while protecting healthy tissue. But sometimes, the checks and balances get confused and stop the immune system from doing what’s right—such as killing tumor cells. Tumor cells are good at confusing the immune system because they originate from our healthy cells. They can often avoid detection by immune cells. Through several decades of research, we have identified two key protein pathways, PD-L1 and CTLA-4, that lung cancer cells

The Society for Immunotherapy of Cancer (SITC) celebrated their 40th anniversary at their annual meeting in National Harbor, Maryland from November 5-9, 2025. The meeting focused on multidisciplinary research aiming to leverage the immune system to improve outcomes for cancer patients, including several exciting areas of growth in lung cancer-directed immunotherapy. Tumor Imaging is Growing More Powerful Advanced imaging techniques are poised to change how we understand and treat lung cancer without the need for invasive procedures. Researchers are working to use QVT radiomic scores (measuring

For more than two decades, LUNGevity Foundation has been a leader in advancing lung cancer research. Since 2002, we have invested $55+ million in more than 200 research projects, helping to build a robust pipeline of discoveries in early detection, treatment innovation, and health equity. Once again, LUNGevity is ready to open our annual grant cycle in 2026 with five research programs designed to address the most pressing challenges in lung cancer care. In addition, these grants ensure the next generation of researchers is poised to continue making progress for everyone affected by this

Lung cancer research was in the spotlight at the European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO) meeting held October 17-21, 2025, in Berlin, Germany. With approximately 30,000 attendees from over 100 countries, this meeting gathered an international audience of clinicians, researchers, patient advocates, and representatives from the healthcare industry to discuss cutting-edge cancer research and share practice-changing clinical trial data. We saw data from studies that aim to build upon existing treatments, to optimize combination approaches, and to address some of the unmet needs of people

LUNGevity Foundation announced $1.2 million in research awards that are designed to strengthen the lung cancer workforce and accelerate progress across the lung cancer continuum—from early detection to treating advanced disease. “Today’s research is tomorrow’s cure. If we want to see continued breakthroughs and advancements in lung cancer, we must secure a strong pipeline of researchers dedicated to improving outcomes for people with lung cancer,” said Upal Basu Roy, PhD, MPH, Executive Director of Research at LUNGevity Foundation. “To continue the momentum in lung cancer progress, we must

Over the past twenty years, lung cancer research and care have entered a new era. One filled with hope, innovation, and progress that is transforming what it means to face a lung cancer diagnosis. From groundbreaking early detection efforts to life-extending treatments, each step forward represents years of collaboration between researchers, patients, and others in the lung cancer community. Today, LUNGevity celebrates five exciting areas of progress that highlight the incredible strides made through sustained lung cancer research. 1. The Precancer Genome Atlas: Stopping Lung Cancer Before It

BRAF is an important signaling protein that regulates how normal cells grow and multiply through the MAPK (mitogen activated protein kinase) signaling pathway. However, changes in the BRAF gene can cause the cells to grow unchecked and develop into a tumor. This can lead to many types of cancer, including melanoma, colorectal, thyroid, and lung cancers. Researchers estimate that 4%-15% of tumors, from all types of cancer, are driven by changes in the BRAF gene. In lung cancer, approximately 1%-2% of non-small cell lung cancers (NSCLCs) have changes in the BRAF gene. These changes have been

For people with advanced or metastatic non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), the treatment landscape has changed dramatically in recent years. Researchers are learning how to optimize existing therapies and are exploring entirely new treatment approaches. At the 2025 World Conference on Lung Cancer (WCLC), several studies highlighted progress in treating newly diagnosed individuals as well as those who need new options after standard therapies stop working. Combining Chemotherapy and Targeted Therapy to Treat EGFR-positive Lung Cancer One of the most anticipated studies at WCLC was the phase 3