Future Oncology at a glance: a spotlight on lung cancer

Future Oncology’s 2025 roundup highlights a curated selection of lung cancer articles that examine advances in targeted therapies and their potential clinical impact. The collection emphasizes emerging evidence and practical considerations for treating metastatic non-small cell lung cancer (mNSCLC), with particular attention to patients whose tumors harbor rare oncogenic drivers.

Metastatic NSCLC treatment has become increasingly personalized as targeted therapies are developed for specific molecular alterations. For rare oncogenic drivers, small patient populations make traditional randomized controlled trials difficult to conduct, limiting enrollment, representation and follow-up duration. A White Paper featured in this roundup outlines how real-world evidence can complement randomized trials to better inform treatment decisions for these groups.

The White Paper describes approaches for integrating real-world data—such as electronic health records, registries and observational cohorts—into trial design and regulatory submissions. Methods include the use of external control arms, hybrid trial models and prospective registries to extend follow-up, broaden patient representation and generate timely safety and effectiveness data. The authors argue that these strategies can accelerate access to promising targeted agents while maintaining rigorous evaluation standards.

The paper also addresses limitations of real-world evidence, noting risks of bias, data heterogeneity and confounding. It stresses the importance of standardized data collection, robust analytical methods, transparency and collaboration among clinicians, researchers and regulators to ensure reliability and interpretability of findings.

For clinicians, researchers and policymakers, the roundup underscores a pragmatic path forward: combining randomized trials with high-quality real-world evidence can improve understanding of targeted therapies for patients with rare oncogenic drivers in mNSCLC and support more informed, patient-centered treatment choices.