‘Lung cancers’—a ‘war’ for the streets?

Excerpt

Chronicalising the research on lung cancer, one cannot miss the inflection point in mid-last century, when Mary Lasker took the advocacy route through the parliament, rather than the laboratories, to bolster medical research. But ever since that pioneering effort, the focus has taken a full circle and shifted back to the research laboratories and this has become a fast and ever changing, moving target. By the time a randomized controlled trial is finished, the target has moved! New concepts in causation, pathogenesis, diagnosis and treatment, both surgical and non-surgical, have evolved. Even nomenclature and terminologies have changed. Targeted and personalized medicine and adjuvant therapy are the buzzwords as are the technical innovations in form of sleeve resection, video assisted and robotic options. But despite all the advances, these still remain one of the most lethal forms of cancers and barring the initial stages, where a cure can be achieved, in most of the situations we are still looking at palliative options. However, the future is bright as more and more knowledge about early diagnosis through breath-based techniques and tumour RNA detection in peripheral blood emerge. The most recent and contemporary evidence for novel therapies in lung cancers are very exciting and promising. That’s why we thought of bringing out this featured issue on lung cancers, wherein the leaders and acclaimed masters, under the Guest Editorship of Prof. Sai Yendamuri from Roswell Park, New York, analyse and present recent data available in the field and translate the lessons learnt from trials and registries into recommendations for consumption of practicing surgeons. …