2023 LCRF Research Grant on Understanding Resistance in Lung Cancer
Trever Bivona, MD, PhD
University of California San Francisco
Research Project:
Characterization and therapeutic targeting of a tumor-tumor microenvironment network promoting resistance to targeted therapy in lung cancer
Summary:
The overall goal we aim to achieve in this project is to create an entirely new approach to treat lung cancer by developing a suite of precision therapies that are distinct in their mechanism of action against the tumor ecosystem and improve the effectiveness of current therapies against mutant EGFR, KRAS, and ALK as combination therapies, while critically maintaining safety and quality of life for patients. The work accomplished in this project could yield molecular treatments that better control, or potentially cure, lung cancer safely through improved precision medicine in the relatively near future.
1-year update: spring 2025
What he’s doing:
Dr. Bivona’s overall goal in his research is to create an entirely new approach to treat lung cancer by developing a suite of precision therapies that are distinct in their mechanism of action against the tumor ecosystem.
How it’s going:
Dr. Bivona’s team is making significant strides in understanding how lung cancer tumors resist treatment. Their research has confirmed initial treatment targets produced by cells in the tumor microenvironment.
What it could mean for patients:
By inhibiting the interaction between these targets and cancer cells, there is potential to enhance tumor sensitivity to immunotherapy—offering new hope for patients with notoriously resistant forms of lung cancer, such as EGFR+ and other oncogene-driven lung cancers. Even more promising, this work could lay the foundation for a future clinical trial, bringing us closer to more effective treatment options for patients facing limited choices today.