Clinical Trials
1
0 active
Approvals
0
Total approvals
Agencies
0
Regulatory bodies
Founded
2010
No trial phase data available
Recruiting
1
100.0%
No approval data available
- Speed of Light – The ASTRO Foundation announced $2.4 million in new research grants supporting 14 scientists working to advance patient care in radiation medicine. - The 2026 awards are the first annual grants since ASTRO relaunched its foundation as Speed of Light, with a renewed focus on accelerating research and strengthening the radiation oncology workforce. - Grants are made possible through partnerships with leading cancer research organizations, including the American Cancer Society, AAPM, the Breast Cancer Research Foundation, LUNGevity Foundation, and the Prostate Cancer Foundation. - Since 2013, ASTRO and its Foundation have awarded $15.8 million to more than 150 research teams, who have subsequently attracted over $90 million in follow-on funding.
- Lung cancer remains the leading cause of cancer death in the United States, with only 27% of cases caught early. - Biomarker testing, including PD-L1 and mutation testing, helps oncologists determine the most precise and effective treatment plans for lung cancer patients. - Dr. Julie Brahmer of Johns Hopkins explains that PD-L1 acts as an "invisibility cloak" for cancer cells, and drugs blocking this protein allow the immune system to recognize and attack tumors. - Patients are urged to ask their physicians about staging, cancer type, and comprehensive biomarker testing results to ensure optimal treatment from the outset.
- The number of unique U.S. sites conducting phase I non-small cell lung cancer trials decreased by 44% between 2020 and 2024, dropping from 395 to 223 locations. - Trial activity became increasingly concentrated at the top 20 highest-volume sites, which are predominantly located in major cities with populations exceeding 1.9 million. - This consolidation trend conflicts with FDA efforts to decentralize clinical trials and may limit patient access to experimental treatments. - Sites participating in the National Cancer Institute Community Oncology Research Program maintained trial activity better than other low-volume sites during this period.
- A retrospective study suggests that less restrictive eligibility criteria in clinical trials for metastatic non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) could improve patient outcomes. - The study found a statistically significant difference in survival time for patients receiving combined chemotherapy who met trial criteria, compared to those who didn't (19.9 vs 13.2 months). - No significant survival differences were observed in patients treated with immunotherapy or targeted therapy based on trial eligibility, suggesting current criteria may be overly restrictive. - The findings support efforts to broaden trial inclusion, particularly for immunotherapy and targeted therapy, potentially enhancing accrual and generalizability of results.
- LUNGevity, FDA, and NCI are collaborating to standardize eligibility criteria for advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) clinical trials, aiming to simplify trial navigation for patients. - The initiative addresses challenges like complex eligibility criteria, which limit patient access and hinder trial recruitment, by creating a prioritized library of terms for trial design. - A forthcoming FDA draft guidance incorporates these recommendations, covering disease stage, biomarkers, performance status, organ function, and comorbidities, to harmonize trial populations. - Standardized criteria intend to support inter-trial comparisons of treatment effects and facilitate the development of more inclusive and efficient clinical trials for NSCLC.
