Dr Fankuchen on Practice-Informing Updates to the Thoracic Oncology Treatment Paradigm

“There [were] a lot of great [presentations], both in the mentorship meetings that were an adjunct to this Fellows Forum, and in the actual discussion of protocols and abstracts that the other fellows were presenting.”

Olivia Fankuchen, MD, MS, a clinical fellow in Hematology and Oncology at New York University (NYU) Langone Health, discussed highlights in clinical education, mentorship, and networking opportunities from an OncLive^® Fellows Forum on Thoracic Oncology.

The Forum, which took place during the 2025 ASCO Annual Meeting, provided substantial educational and clinical value through both formal abstract presentations and adjunct mentorship sessions, Fankuchen began. Key discussions centered on emerging molecular targets, clinical trial data, and real-world therapeutic experiences that have immediate implications for patient care and trainee development in the lung cancer field, she said.

Among the scientific presentations, notable attention was given to the implications of MTAP loss—a biologically relevant but poorly understood alteration, Fankuchen stated. One fellow presented outcome data on patients harboring these mutations, contributing to the growing interest in this potential therapeutic vulnerability, she explained. Another central theme involved tumors with co-occurring actionable biomarkers, she noted. In particular, the management of patients with both EGFRmutations and high PD-L1 expression was discussed in depth, according to Fankuchen. Clinical experience and data suggest that even in patients with disease harboring both targets, those with EGFR mutations derive limited benefit from immune checkpoint inhibitors, and combining therapies may increase toxicity, she emphasized. The physiologic underpinnings of this phenomenon were also explored in the meeting, along with proposed investigational strategies to further delineate optimal treatment sequencing and patient selection, she reported.

Another segment of the forum addressed real-world clinical experience with tarlatamab-dlle (Imdelltra), a bispecific T-cell engager that was FDA approved in 2024 for the treatment of patients with extensive-stage small cell lung cancer with disease progression on or after platinum-based chemotherapy. Data from a single-center cohort of 100 patients provided insights into the incidence and management of tarlatamab-associated adverse effects like cytokine release syndrome, immune effector cell–associated neurotoxicity syndrome, and central nervous system toxicities, Fankuchen highlighted. These findings are immediately translatable to active patient management at NYU, she shared.

The mentorship component of the Forum also delivered practical career development guidance, particularly relevant for senior trainees, Fankuchen revealed. Topics included evaluation of employment options across academic, private practice, and hybrid models, as well as advice on selecting disability and life insurance, she said. Finally, the forum fostered meaningful peer connections and professional networking among oncology fellows, enhancing collaboration and supporting future clinical and research endeavors, she concluded.