Dr. Bunn on Current Role of Precision Medicine for Lung Cancer

Paul A. Bunn, Jr, MD, professor of Medicine in Medical Oncology, head of the Division of Medical Oncology at the University of Colorado, discusses the current role of precision medicine in lung cancer.

Bunn explains that there are several biomarkers that can predict which therapy is going to be most beneficial as a patient begins treatment. Since there are multiple molecular biomarkers, it is easier and more cost effective to execute them all at the same time by utilizing next-generation sequencing (NGS). It has now become standard for patients with adenocarcinoma to do NGS testing first.

Looking at PD-L1 expression by immunohistochemistry has also become an important, standard step prior to beginning treatment, he explains. Studies have shown that if more than 49% of tumor cells express PD-L1, pembrolizumab (Keytruda) can be a superior treatment to chemotherapy.