How do you make the most of your visits with your healthcare team? In this episode, lung cancer survivor Bill Morris shares his experience with lung cancer and how he approaches his healthcare visits now. Oncology nurse practitioner Rasheda Persinger shares her insights after 20 years of working with patients. Hosts Ann and Dr. Shields discuss with Bill and Rasheda what they wish every patient knew, from writing down questions before an appointment to asking about biomarker testing to why recording your visit can make all the difference. <a href="https://rss

HOPE Summit 2026 was filled with old friends reuniting, new friends being made, and of course, plenty of inspirational and informative sessions designed to help people live well with lung cancer. For the second year in a row, select sessions were recorded so those who could not attend are still able to access the valuable information shared. HOPE Summit 2026 Recorded Sessions Keynote: Wagons Roll with Dr. Ross Camidge Back in the Saddle: Reclaiming Strength and Living Well Charting New Territory with Palliative Care Partners Community Connections Across the Horizon Experts Around the Campfire

What happens after a lung cancer diagnosis? In this first episode of LUNGevity’s Lung Cancer Voices of Hope podcast, lung cancer survivor Lisa Bistline shares her experience, from initial scans and biopsies through multiple treatments, and the moment a later biopsy revealed a biomarker that led to a targeted therapy. Hosts Ann Steagall and Misty Shields, MD, PhD, then speak with Anne Chiang, MD, PhD, thoracic oncologist at Yale University, about what patients can expect at their first visit, including how doctors determine the type and stage of cancer, plan treatment, and approach care

Artificial intelligence (AI) is rapidly reshaping the future of cancer care, but such dramatic innovation also brings important questions. AI has evolved from early consumer tools (like autocorrect on phones, customer service chatbots, and personalized shopping recommendations) to advanced systems with the potential to revolutionize biomedical discovery and patient care. While there is tremendous excitement around AI, there is also a critical need to use it responsibly. Researchers are actively studying how to implement AI across the lung cancer continuum. Key areas of focus include improving

The human immune system is an intricate web of checks and balances that usually excels at detecting and destroying foreign invaders, such as bacteria and viruses, while protecting healthy tissue. But sometimes, the checks and balances get confused and stop the immune system from doing what’s right—such as killing tumor cells. Tumor cells are good at confusing the immune system because they originate from our healthy cells. They can often avoid detection by immune cells. Through several decades of research, we have identified two key protein pathways, PD-L1 and CTLA-4, that lung cancer cells

For people with advanced or metastatic non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), the treatment landscape has changed dramatically in recent years. Researchers are learning how to optimize existing therapies and are exploring entirely new treatment approaches. At the 2025 World Conference on Lung Cancer (WCLC), several studies highlighted progress in treating newly diagnosed individuals as well as those who need new options after standard therapies stop working. Combining Chemotherapy and Targeted Therapy to Treat EGFR-positive Lung Cancer One of the most anticipated studies at WCLC was the phase 3

Michelle knew what was wrong. She knew the headaches, regular vomiting, ear popping, and “whooshing” sounds in her head were all signs of leptomeningeal disease (LMD). The issue, however, is that LMD is so rare—only diagnosed in 5% of people with cancer—she had to advocate for the testing to prove it. “I called my clinic and said I needed a brain MRI because I think I have LMD. They didn’t want to schedule one, so I said, tell my doctor I’m demanding a brain MRI. I can tell him directly if I need to,” says Michelle. Leptomeningeal disease, or LMD, occurs when cancer from somewhere in the body

What Is Integrative Oncology? Integrative oncology is the use of complementary therapies alongside conventional lung cancer treatments like chemotherapy, targeted therapy, surgery, or immunotherapy. Integrative oncology—also called integrative medicine—is an evidence-informed whole-body approach to health. It is often used to address symptoms and side effects caused by disease or treatment and improve overall quality of life. Specific examples of integrative oncology for lung cancer include: Acupuncture or massages to address pain or nausea Exercise to reduce pain and improve overall quality

Surgery is a treatment option for early-stage lung cancer that involves removing all or part of a lung to treat a cancerous tumor. It is primarily an option for people with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) staged at I, II, or IIIA. Surgery is rarely considered for tumors at stage IIIB or IV because those lung cancers have spread to other parts of the body. It is also rarely used to treat small cell lung cancer (SCLC) because SCLC is typically diagnosed at a later stage. Types of Lung Cancer Surgery Once the medical team decides someone’s lung cancer is resectable (able to be removed by

Read time: 2 minutes. Here we present the final video in our three-part series about how patients and researchers can work together to develop clinical trials. In the video below, LUNGevity again partnered with Rising Tide for Clinical Cancer Research to illustrate the power of having patients contribute to the research process. We use a real-world example to learn about patient-researcher collaborations through the POSITIVE study, a breast cancer-focused clinical trial. You can watch the entire video, or use the timestamps below. Make sure to watch parts 1 and 2 of this series here: How Can