Closing the Gap: New Campaign Focuses on Increasing Biomarker Testing in High-Risk Communities

About every two and a half minutes, someone in the U.S. is diagnosed with lung cancer. Thankfully, access to early diagnosis, precision medicine and biomarker testing can save lives and may provide for a better quality of life for people living with lung cancer. Unfortunately, biomarker testing is often underutilized, especially in the Black community.

To address this disparity and improve the lives of people impacted by lung cancer, today, the American Lung Association launched Biomarker, Education, Awareness and Testing (BEAT) Lung Cancer, a new initiative for biomarker education and awareness, with a focus on increasing biomarker testing rates in communities most impacted by lung cancer disparities.

“While lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer deaths in the U.S., there has been incredible progress in survival thanks in part to screening, biomarker testing and targeted treatments. Unfortunately, only about 4.5% of people eligible have been screened for lung cancer and a recent study found that 23% of people diagnosed with lung cancer received chemo and radiation therapy before they had received full biomarker testing, leading to potentially unnecessary treatment and time lost,” said Harold Wimmer, President and CEO of the American Lung Association. “This campaign will focus on increasing these numbers and improving the lives of people living with lung cancer, with a focus on the communities most impacted.”

Biomarker testing is when a healthcare provider tests a tumor for DNA and levels of specific proteins. These tests are also sometimes called molecular or genomic testing. If doctors know exactly what causes the tumor to grow, a person may be able to go on a "targeted" therapy that can slow tumor growth or shrink the tumor. Testing can also show levels of an important protein called PD-L1 which may help predict if a patient would benefit from immunotherapy.

Unfortunately, health disparities persist when it comes to lung cancer care and biomarker testing. In fact, 26% of eligible white patients received biomarker testing compared to 14% of eligible Black patients. In addition, lung cancer affects Black individuals, particularly Black men, differently than their white counterparts. Black men are 11% more likely to be diagnosed with lung cancer and 9.8% more Black men die from the disease.

A recent survey conducted by the American Lung Association found that, among 33 Black individuals with lung cancer surveyed, that 42% report not having discussed their lung cancer risk with a doctor prior to their lung cancer diagnosis and one quarter did not receive biomarker testing for their lung cancer. The survey also found that over a quarter indicated that their doctor did not recommend biomarker testing for their lung cancer. 

The American Lung Association’s new BEAT Lung Cancer initiative aims to beat lung cancer by:

• Increasing awareness about biomarker testing and lung cancer screening nationwide;
• Raising awareness among Black lung cancer patients/caregivers, as well as the larger Black community, about the availability and importance of biomarker testing and lung cancer screening; and
• Empowering Black Americans to talk with their doctor about biomarker testing and lung cancer screening.

Learn more at Lung.org/beat-lung-cancer.