Latest News for HCPs
A round up of news and views impacting the lives of people affected by ALK-positive lung cancer
5th Annual Weekend Conference - September
We are delighted to announce that Dr Tom Newsom-Davis, thoracic oncologist at Westminster & Chelsea Hospital and chair Brirtish Thoracic Oncology Group, will be our after-dinner Keynote Speaker at the conference.
Emma describes her cancer as being like a suitacse
Emma Britton took part in the launch of Lung Cancer Europe's report on Mental Health and Lung Cancer. Read what Emma had to say about the stress and anxiety of living with lung cancer and her moving description of her Stage 4 lung cancer as being like an old suitace.
Liquid Biopsies for suspected advanced lung cancer
NHS England has made circulating tumour DNA (ctDNA) testing available for all eligible patients who have a suspected diagnosis of advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).
The Christie's ALKnowledge website has a blog about this important step in speeding up the diagnosis and treatment of patients with ALK+ LC and other oncogene-driven LCs.
Neladalkib - Phase 3 Trial
The trial of this 4th generation TKI is now available at several hospitals in England for newly diagnosed patients who will either be prescribed Alectinib or Neladalkib.
Patients who progress on their current TKI may be able to obtain Neladalkib under the Expanded Access Programme.
Frequency of Head MRIs
3 in 5 ALK-positive patients are likely to develop brain metastases (tumours) within 3 years. The charity considers that 6-monthly MRI scans should be carried out before symptoms occur, so that metastases can be treated when they are small and few in number.
Hard copies are available on request..
Pregnancy and Targeted Therapies
Targeted therapies (Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitors – TKIs) may significantly extend lives and It can be expected that more women of childbearing age may contemplate pregnancy. Unplanned pregnancies may occur and women who are already pregnant might be diagnosed with ALK-positive LC.
TKIs might affect the fetus and we are preapring advice about this. Meanwhile, please contact us if you would like to discuss this.
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All About ALK-positive Lung Cancer
This paper has been produced by Elena Klenova, Emeritus Professor, School of Life Sciences, University of Essex, and an ALK-positive patient.
Although it is a beginner's guide, it is quite technical in parts. However, section 11 (Current and Future Treatment Perspectives) and section 12 (Discussion on Socio-Economic, Health and Research Challenges) are well-worth reading.
Lorlatinib Approved
Lorlatinib is a 3rd generation Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitor (TKI) used for the treatment of advanced ALK-positive lung cancer.
On 7 October 2025, it was approved by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) for 1st line use for newly diagnosed people in England and Wales. It had previously been approved in Scotland.
Good News for those diagnosed early
Patients diagnosed at Stages 1-3 would usually have received surgery, if possible, followed by chemotherapy. Trials have shown that a targeted therapy, Alectinib, a tablet taken as an alternative to chemotherapy, produces better outcomes.
This should now be the standard of care.
