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Tracheal, bronchus, and lung cancer

3Curable in someAI-generated

Lung cancer deaths fall 2% yearly; targeted therapies offer hopeAI-generated

Burden-over-time charts — how many people this disease affects and whether that number is rising or falling — are coming to this page. The treatability read, milestones, and live trial pipeline below are current.

Milestones

dot size = significance
199020002010202020251992 — Paclitaxel approved (FDA)1995 — Docetaxel anhydrous approved (FDA)1996 — Topotecan approved (FDA)1996 — Gemcitabine approved (FDA)2003 — Gefitinib approved (FDA)2004 — Pemetrexed approved (FDA)2004 — Bevacizumab approved (FDA)2004 — Erlotinib approved (FDA)2011 — Crizotinib approved (FDA)2011 — Ipilimumab approved (FDA)2013 — Afatinib approved (FDA)2013 — Trametinib approved (FDA)2014 — Pembrolizumab approved (FDA)2014 — Nintedanib approved (FDA)2014 — Ramucirumab approved (FDA)2014 — Ceritinib approved (FDA)2015 — Osimertinib approved (FDA)2015 — Nivolumab approved (FDA)2015 — Necitumumab approved (FDA)2015 — Alectinib approved (FDA)2016 — Atezolizumab approved (FDA)2017 — Durvalumab approved (FDA)2017 — Brigatinib approved (FDA)2018 — Dacomitinib anhydrous approved (FDA)2018 — Lorlatinib approved (FDA)2018 — Cemiplimab approved (FDA)2019 — Entrectinib approved (FDA)2020 — Capmatinib approved (FDA)2020 — Selpercatinib approved (FDA)2020 — Pralsetinib approved (FDA)2020 — Lurbinectedin approved (FDA)2021 — Amivantamab approved (FDA)2021 — Tepotinib approved (FDA)2021 — Sotorasib approved (FDA)2021 — Mobocertinib approved (FDA)2021 — Trilaciclib approved (FDA)2022 — Adagrasib approved (FDA)2022 — Tremelimumab approved (FDA)2023 — Tislelizumab approved (FDA)2024 — Sugemalimab approved (FDA)2024 — Lazertinib approved (FDA)2020202120212021
1992: Drug approval — Paclitaxel approved (FDA). 1995: Drug approval — Docetaxel anhydrous approved (FDA). 1996: Drug approval — Topotecan approved (FDA). 1996: Drug approval — Gemcitabine approved (FDA). 2003: Drug approval — Gefitinib approved (FDA). 2004: Drug approval — Pemetrexed approved (FDA). 2004: Drug approval — Bevacizumab approved (FDA). 2004: Drug approval — Erlotinib approved (FDA). 2011: Drug approval — Crizotinib approved (FDA). 2011: Drug approval — Ipilimumab approved (FDA). 2013: Drug approval — Afatinib approved (FDA). 2013: Drug approval — Trametinib approved (FDA). 2014: Drug approval — Pembrolizumab approved (FDA). 2014: Drug approval — Nintedanib approved (FDA). 2014: Drug approval — Ramucirumab approved (FDA). 2014: Drug approval — Ceritinib approved (FDA). 2015: Drug approval — Osimertinib approved (FDA). 2015: Drug approval — Nivolumab approved (FDA). 2015: Drug approval — Necitumumab approved (FDA). 2015: Drug approval — Alectinib approved (FDA). 2016: Drug approval — Atezolizumab approved (FDA). 2017: Drug approval — Durvalumab approved (FDA). 2017: Drug approval — Brigatinib approved (FDA). 2018: Drug approval — Dacomitinib anhydrous approved (FDA). 2018: Drug approval — Lorlatinib approved (FDA). 2018: Drug approval — Cemiplimab approved (FDA). 2019: Drug approval — Entrectinib approved (FDA). 2020: Drug approval — Capmatinib approved (FDA). 2020: Drug approval — Selpercatinib approved (FDA). 2020: Drug approval — Pralsetinib approved (FDA). 2020: Drug approval — Lurbinectedin approved (FDA). 2021: Drug approval — Amivantamab approved (FDA). 2021: Drug approval — Tepotinib approved (FDA). 2021: Drug approval — Sotorasib approved (FDA). 2021: Drug approval — Mobocertinib approved (FDA). 2021: Drug approval — Trilaciclib approved (FDA). 2022: Drug approval — Adagrasib approved (FDA). 2022: Drug approval — Tremelimumab approved (FDA). 2023: Drug approval — Tislelizumab approved (FDA). 2024: Drug approval — Sugemalimab approved (FDA). 2024: Drug approval — Lazertinib approved (FDA)

What's being tested now

2000: 2 trials started2001: 2 trials started2002: 3 trials started2003: 4 trials started2004: 2 trials started2005: 4 trials started2006: 2 trials started2007: 2 trials started2008: 6 trials started2010: 3 trials started2011: 5 trials started2012: 11 trials started2013: 14 trials started2014: 8 trials started2015: 18 trials started2016: 32 trials started2017: 32 trials started2018: 60 trials started2019: 69 trials started2020: 93 trials started2021: 157 trials started2022: 219 trials started2023: 352 trials started2024: 572 trials started2025: 670 trials started2026: 631 trials started2000201020202026670

Trials started per year, stacked by phase (darker = later phase). Source: ClinicalTrials.gov via Clin2, which tracks studies recruiting in recent years — early years undercount.

See all 2821 active Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung trials on Clin2 →

Where we are

AI-generated

Lung cancer is curable in some cases, particularly early-stage non-small cell and limited-stage small cell disease. However, most patients present with advanced cancer, where treatments like targeted drugs and immunotherapy extend survival but rarely cure. Deaths have been falling about 2% a year, reflecting earlier detection and better therapies. A key milestone was the 2021 approval of sotorasib, the first drug targeting KRAS mutations, once considered undruggable. While not all patients benefit, this breakthrough opened new avenues for precision medicine. Ongoing research, with over 2,600 trials in the last five years, continues to refine treatment strategies.

How has the survival rate changed for lung cancer over time?
Survival has improved gradually. Five-year survival for all stages rose from about 15% in the 1970s to over 25% today, driven by screening, surgery, and new systemic therapies.
What is the role of targeted therapy in lung cancer?
Targeted drugs attack specific genetic mutations, such as EGFR, ALK, and KRAS. They often shrink tumors and improve quality of life, especially in non-smokers with these mutations.
Are there new treatments being tested for advanced lung cancer?
Yes. Over 2,600 trials have started in the last five years, including 259 phase-3 studies. These test novel combinations, immunotherapies, and next-generation targeted agents.
Can lung cancer be cured if caught early?
Yes, early-stage lung cancer is often curable with surgery, sometimes combined with radiation or chemotherapy. For stage I non-small cell cancer, five-year survival exceeds 70%.
What is the significance of the sotorasib approval?
Sotorasib, approved in 2021, is the first therapy for KRAS G12C mutations, previously considered undruggable. It offers a new option for patients with this specific genetic change.

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Burden estimates: IHME Global Burden of Disease Study. Drug indications: ChEMBL (CC BY-SA). Trial data: ClinicalTrials.gov via Clin2. Velocity, acceleration, and turning points are computed by Clin2 — how this page is made. Treatability describes what medicine can do, not what is available everywhere. This page describes populations, not people, and is not medical advice.