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Friends of The Happy Lungs Project,


Last month was our annual RET Research Update, which included presentations from 4 funded researchers about research advances in RET-positive NSCLC.


The presentations included these exciting findings:

  • Cataloging of RET fusions and their responses to specific therapies in a way that reduces therapeutic guesswork/guides choice of medication and may have great clinical benefit

  • Discovery of novel resistance mutations via the Lenti-mutate system and their drug susceptibility patterns that can also direct drug treatment

  • Identification of a targetable tumor antigen on drug-tolerant persister cells that may someday permit actual eradication of RET NSCLC with initial treatments using novel therapies such as CAR-T therapies

  • Improved understanding of on-target and off-target resistance mechanisms to TKIs, which could permit development of much more effective second line therapies, including combination medications

  • Robust registry information including genomic data of RET patients who become resistant to RET TKIs that will direct therapeutic and research efforts based on incidence of specific TKI resistance mechanisms

  • A deep analysis of the tumor microenvironment of a large panel of NSCLC tumors including RET lung cancer tumors USING single cell RNA sequencing

  • The discovery of groups of immune cells (immune hubs) that are present in RET tumors. Investigating strategies to better induce these immune hubs

  • Characterization of the role of fibroblasts cells and their interaction with RET cancer cells

  • Development of new cell-based immunotherapies for RET cancer including TCR therapies against RET fusion antigens that are close to clinical application

Thank you to the RET patients, caregivers, and healthcare professionals who joined me to learn how your investments in The Happy Lungs Project are making a difference for lung cancer survivors like me and so many others.

If you missed the RET Research Update webinar, check out the recording and recap!


During this season of giving and giving back, please consider making a donation to The Happy Lungs Project.

Your generous gift can advance research and save lives. Any amount makes a real difference.


With love and light,

Ilana Stromberg

Board Member and Co-Founder


P.S. Earlier this fall, I mentioned the loss of my dear friend, Susan Wojcicki, to lung cancer. Susan wrote a post in the final weeks of her life that she planned to publish this fall to raise awareness of the disease. It was shared last week on YouTube’s blog, and I’d love for you to read it.

Happy Lungs Headlines

Boosting Research: The Role of Lung Cancer Registries for RET-Positive Lung Cancer Patients

The Power of Data: Every lung cancer patient’s experience can contribute to groundbreaking research and breakthrough discoveries, leading to personalized treatments and better outcomes. This is the power of a lung cancer registry. Read the blog post


Cracking the Code: What RET Gene Alteration Means for Your Lung Cancer

The RET gene is important for controlling how cells grow and develop. When the RET gene is altered, it can cause cells to grow uncontrollably, leading to different types of cancer. Read the blog post

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