Research into lung cancer

Some of the research on this page has now stopped asking people to take part. But it takes time before the results are available. This is because the research teams follow the people taking part for a period of time to collect and analyse the information.

We have included information about these to give examples of the types of research being carried out.

About research and clinical trials

All cancer treatments must be fully researched before they can be used for everyone. This is so we can be sure that:

• they work

• they work better than the treatments already available

• they are safe

To make sure the research is accurate, each trial has certain entry conditions for who can take part. These are different for each trial.

Hospitals do not take part in every clinical trial. Some trials are only done in a small number of hospitals, or in one area of the country. You may need to travel quite far if you take part in these trials.

Research into the risks and causes of lung cancer

We know that smoking causes lung cancer in more than 60 out of 100 people in the UK (more than 60%). But it can also affect people who have never smoked. Researchers are trying to find out other possible causes of lung cancer. This includes looking at:

• gene changes

• where people live

• what jobs people have

• family history

• the immune system

• other medical conditions

Read about research into risks and causes

Research into the diagnosis of lung cancer

Doctors are looking at better ways to diagnose lung cancer at an earlier stage. Research includes looking at:

• what symptoms are best for predicting lung cancer

• why some people get diagnosed with cancer later

• developing new tests to diagnose lung cancer, including blood, urine and breath tests

Targeted lung cancer screening

Targeted lung screening means testing people with a high risk of this disease. The aim is to diagnose lung cancer at an earlier stage. It is gradually being rolled out in England for some people who smoke or used to smoke.

Researchers are looking at ways to improve the screening programme by:

• checking who will benefit from screening the most

• developing computer programmes to help look at scans

• developing new tests such as blood tests or nose swabs

Read more about research into screening and diagnosis

Go to more information about lung cancer screening

Research into treatments for lung cancer

How to treat lung cancer

Researchers are looking at tissue, blood and other samples of people with lung cancer. They will study the make up of the cancer to understand:

• how lung cancer grows

• the best ways to treat lung cancer

• the effects of their cancer on the body

Surgery

Trials are looking for ways to reduce complications and improve recovery after surgery. Research teams are looking at:

• diet and exercise prehabilitation programmes before surgery

• giving extra pain medications to improve pain control

• the best way to control long term pain after surgery

Read about surgery trials

Targeted and immunotherapy cancer drugs

Targeted cancer drugs work by ‘targeting’ those differences that help a cancer cell to grow and survive. Some seek out and destroy cancer cells. Others help the body's immune system to attack the cancer. So some of these drugs are also called immunotherapies.

Researchers are looking at giving these drugs on their own, with chemotherapy or with radiotherapy. Examples of these drugs include:

• durvalumab

• pembrolizumab

• V940

• volrustomig

• T cell therapy

• ipilimumab

• osimertinib

• oleclumab

• monalizumab

• tiragolumab

• pumitamig

• BAY 2927088

• domvanalimab

Some of these drugs are already used to treat other cancers, and some are new drugs.

Find out about trials into targeted cancer drugs and immunotherapy

Chemotherapy

Chemotherapy is the main treatment for small cell lung cancer. It is also commonly used for non small cell lung cancer. Researchers hope to find new combinations of drugs that might give better results.

A problem with many cancers is that chemotherapy works well at first but then stops working. Researchers want to find out why chemotherapy stops working for some people with lung cancer.

Find out about trials using chemotherapy

Radiotherapy

Research teams are looking at:

• using different types of scan to plan radiotherapy

• using different chemotherapy drugs with radiotherapy

• using immunotherapy drugs with radiotherapy

• how radiotherapy can help people with advanced or metastatic cancer

• the side effects and how people cope with them

• the effect of radiotherapy on quality of life

• whether radiotherapy can prevent high risk cancers from spreading to the brain

Find trials looking at radiotherapy

Chemoradiotherapy

Chemoradiotherapy means having chemotherapy and radiotherapy together. Doctors use chemoradiotherapy to treat non small cell lung cancer.

Researchers are looking at whether giving immunotherapy drugs with chemoradiotherapy helps it to work better.

Other drug treatments

Scientists are developing new medicines that might help to treat lung cancer. These include:

• antibody drug conjugates which combine chemotherapy and targeted drugs

• medicines that help your body absorb immunotherapy drugs

• cancer vaccines that help your immune system attack cancer cells

Research into living with lung cancer

Researchers are looking at ways to improve the quality of life of people with lung cancer.

For example, trials are looking at:

• the effect of having a low carbohydrate and high fat diet (ketogenic diet) during treatment

• ways to help people living with breathlessness after treatment

Scientists are also working to develop a new blood test that can diagnose lung cancer that has come back after treatment.

Read more research into living with lung cancer