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SU2C-American Cancer Society Lung Cancer Dream Team: Targeting KRAS Mutant Lung Cancers

Justin F. Gainor, MD
Co-Leader

Justin F. Gainor, MD

Director, Center for Thoracic Cancers
Director of Targeted Immunotherapy
Assistant Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School

Pasi A. Jänne, MD, PhD, MMSc
Co-leader

Pasi A. Jänne, MD, PhD, MMSc

Director, Lowe Center for Thoracic Oncology
Dana-Farber Cancer Institute

Jedd D. Wolchok, MD, PhD, FASCO, FAACR
Co-leader

Jedd D. Wolchok, MD, PhD, FASCO, FAACR

Chief, Melanoma and Immunotherapeutics Service
LJ Old Chair, Clinical Investigation, MSK Cancer Center

Research

Mutations in the KRAS gene are found in 20 to 25 percent of lung cancers. These cancers do not respond well to standard lung cancer treatments and are notoriously difficult to treat. The team is currently conducting a myriad of clinical trials to combine targeted therapies with checkpoint inhibitors. To maximize the benefit of immunotherapy, the team is also analyzing samples from patients that have been treated with this class of drugs. The team seeks to identify ways to predict which patients are more likely respond to immunotherapy.

Grant News

Dream Team publishes the results of clinical trial on neoadjuvant nivolumab/ipilimumab combination in NSCLC.

Elevated plasma IL-8 levels are associated with poorer prognosis and poorer response to immune checkpoint blockade.