Download Small Cell Lung Cancer

Small Cell Lung Cancer
A GIVING SMARTER GUIDE TO ACCELERATING RESEARCH PROGRESS
An Executive Summary
ACTION IS URGENTLY NEEDED.
LACK OF NEW TREATMENT OPTIONS.
INSUFFICIENT ACCESS TO BIOSPECIMENS.
POOR UNDERSTANDING OF UNDERLYING
DISEASE BIOLOGY.
NO CURE.
Lung cancer is the deadliest cancer in the United States,
claiming the lives of about 160,000 Americans each year–
more than breast, prostate, and colon cancer combined.
More than 400,000 Americans are currently suffering
with lung cancer, with more than 200,000 new cases estimated to be diagnosed this year alone. The emotional and
economic costs of lung cancer are enormous. Only 17 percent of lung cancer patients survive beyond five years after
being diagnosed. Additionally, the disease costs the economy more than $12 billion annually, and this is projected
to increase by at least 25 percent over the next five years.
There are a number of challenges and unmet needs that
act as barriers to desperately needed progress in small
cell lung cancer (SCLC) research. In May 2015, the
Milken Institute Philanthropy Advisory Service convened
a group of world-renowned SCLC experts and patient
advocates to discuss the state of science relevant to
SCLC and the challenges currently impeding research
progress. In a new Giving Smarter Guide, the
Philanthropy Advisory Service presents the key issues
that were prioritized by the group and recommendations
on how strategic philanthropic investments can
accelerate progress in SCLC.
Unfortunately, the outlook is even worse for the 15 percent
of lung cancer patients who are diagnosed with SCLC, one
of the most aggressive forms of the disease. Only 7 percent
of these patients survive beyond five years after diagnosis.
NUMBER OF ACTIVE CLINICAL TRIALS
LUNG CANCER CLINICAL TRIALS
(AS OF SEPTEMBER 2015)
242
250
SCLC
200
150
136
50
89
76
100
15
19
35
0
PHASE 1
PHASE 1/ 2
PHASE 2
PHASE OF CLINICAL TRIAL
1
17
PHASE 2/3
8
PHASE 3
NSCLC
“The need for human SCLC biospecimens is a key underpinning of the barriers to research progress.
Efforts to address this challenge would greatly aid therapeutic development for SCLC.”
life-saving treatment options not only for SCLC patients,
but also for patients with other forms of lung cancer.
Furthermore, lung cancer frequently gives patients false
hope by initially responding favorably to chemotherapy
and then rapidly becoming resistant and untreatable.
Treatment options for SCLC remain unchanged from the
standards developed more than 30 years ago. In this
Giving Smarter Guide, we outline the key barriers to SCLC
research progress that have contributed to a lack of
treatment options for patients. These barriers include:
Given the aggressiveness of the disease, the rapid
development of resistance to treatment, and the low
five-year survival rate, SCLC and another aggressive
cancer, pancreatic cancer, have attracted the attention of
Congress. The Recalcitrant Cancer Act acknowledges that
more dedicated resources need to be allocated toward
recalcitrant cancers (cancers with five-year survival rates
of less than 50 percent) such as SCLC. The act was passed
by Congress in 2012; however, it is currently an unfunded
mandate. Given the scope of what is necessary to address
the key unmet needs in SCLC in order to really make a
difference in the lives of patients, it is unlikely that the
government would be able to fund the full scope of work.
This is where strategic philanthropy can play a
game-changing role.
• Poor understanding of SCLC disease biology
• Lack of SCLC-specific funding to support research
• Lack of access to SCLC biospecimens to identify
biomarkers and new therapeutic targets
• Inefficient clinical trial enrollment processes and
data sharing
Readers will be able to use this guide to pinpoint research
solutions aligned with their interests. This guide will help
to answer the following questions:
• Why should I invest in SCLC research?
• What key things should I know about this disease?
With the current attention from Congress and the
success observed in treating the most common form of
lung cancer, non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), with
new immunotherapies, now is the time for the SCLC
community to capitalize on this momentum. Strategic
investment in research tools, infrastructure, and discovery
science can play a catalytic role in developing new
• What is the current standard of care?
• What is the current state of SCLC research efforts?
• What are the barriers preventing development of
new therapeutics?
• How can philanthropy expand infrastructure to
support SCLC research and advance new therapies?
NUMBER OF EXPERIMENTAL AGENTS
AGENTS IN CLINICAL DEVELOPMENT FOR LUNG CANCER
(AS OF SEPTEMBER 2015)
87
100
SCLC
NSCLC
80
60
34
40
20
7
26
5
1
0
PHASE 1
PHASE 1/ 2
30
20
PHASE 2
3
PHASE 2/3
2
PHASE 3
PHASE OF CLINICAL DEVELOPMENT
TO READ THE FULL GIVING SMARTER GUIDE, VISIT PAS.FASTERCURES.ORG/REPORTS
The Philanthropy Advisory Service, a program of the Milken Institute, counsels philanthropists, family offices, wealth advisors, and foundations
seeking to make transformative investments in medical research. We provide comprehensive, digestible information that helps philanthropists
evaluate research efforts and funding opportunities in various disease areas. Our analysis is shaped by scientific advisory boards, in-depth due
diligence, and an objective framework for evaluation. pas.fastercures.org