Backstage @ Upstage

Voicing New Reasons for Optimism HOST: Hildy Grossman, CO-HOST: Jordan Rich GUEST: Maida Mangiameli, Dusty Donaldson, Misty Shields, MD, Ph.D., and Ann Steagall Small cell lung cancer (SCLC) is a highly aggressive form of lung cancer with a 5-year survival rate of just 7%, a disheartening statistic. Despite this, survivors, researchers, and the medical community are actively working to create a more hopeful future. In this powerful podcast episode, we bring together a diverse team of guests to discuss stories of survival, groundbreaking treatments, and renewed reasons for hope. You’ll hear from: • Maida Mangiameli, an inspiring SCLC survivor who’s been in remission for 8 years, so far. • Dr. Misty Shields, a physician-scientist specializing in SCLC within her oncology practice who also shares a personal story. • Dusty Donaldson, a lung cancer survivor and patient-advocate whose organization provides crucial support groups for SCLC patients. • Ann Steagall, a dedicated nurse navigator who guides patients through their diagnosis and treatment journey. Join us for a lively discussion that sheds light on the progress being made and the hope that exists for those facing small cell lung cancer.

A Biomarker Dialogue Between Patient and Scientist HOST: Hildy Grossman, CO-HOST: Jordan Rich GUEST: Marc Muskavitch, PhD, ALK+ & Zachary Rogers, PhD, Research Fellow, Koch Institute at MIT This episode features a powerful conversation between two scientists, one now navigating life as a Stage 4 ALK+ lung cancer patient. Most lung cancer patients only learn the significance of biomarkers like ALK+, soon after their diagnosis. Our guest Marc Muskavitch, however, arrived at this knowledge with a distinct advantage: he is a scientist himself. With a background spanning drug development, biochemistry, and genetics, and holding seventeen patents, Marc’s understanding shaped his emotional and strategic response to his diagnosis and ongoing journey. His compelling conversation with scientist Zach Rogers, a previous podcast guest who addressed recurrence and drug response in lung cancer, gains even greater meaning in this context. Marc also sheds light on the significant community brought together by the ALK Positive patient organization that is now collaborating with the scientific research organization, Break Through Cancer. Our guests discuss their vision for hopeful future advancements in cancer treatment.

HOST: Hildy Grossman, CO-HOST: Jordan Rich GUEST: James Hiter, Streak for A Cure James and Hildy had a similar experience in having their lung cancer found by accident. James, a “streaker” who runs daily, epitomized health. So, a lung cancer diagnosis—discovered accidentally during a bout of the flu—came as a devastating shock. A routine X-ray revealed a tumor of the size of a tennis ball. This unexpected twist led James to uncover a family history of the disease: his grandmother and great-uncle both succumbed to lung cancer. Driven by this knowledge, he joined a research study exploring the genetic links to lung cancer. James’s story is one of resilience. He shares the profound impact of lung cancer on his life, offering an “optimistic realist’s” perspective on daily life and the challenges he and his wife face. Initially declared “cured” after surgery, James’s world was rocked a year later by the cancer’s return. This time, he learned he had the KRAS biomarker, a discovery that proved crucial in guiding his treatment. He details his treatment journey, the setbacks, and the hope that came with targeted therapies. James’s story is one of resilience, hope, and the power of medical research. From accidental diagnosis to recurrence, he’s facing the ups and downs with resolute positivity. Hear how he’s using his experience to inspire others through “Streak for A Cure.” Don’t miss this powerful podcast!”

HOST: Hildy Grossman, CO-HOST: Jordan Rich GUEST: TERRI CONNERAN, Founder of KRAS Kickers Imagine facing five recurrences of cancer in seven years. Terri Conneran did, and she turned her adversity into a powerful force for change. Terri embodies the strength of the will to defy the odds of a cancer diagnosis and emerges as a beacon of hope for lung cancer patients. Despite multiple recurrences and navigating a challenging diagnostic journey, she remains resilient and determined to gather information, learn about research and advocate for others who have a KRAS biomarker. Terri founded KRAS Kickers to create a community for patients and families to have a place for support and gathering knowledge during diagnosis and treatment for cancer with a KRAS mutation, the most common biomarker responsible for the three deadliest cancers: lung, pancreatic and colon. Terri’s story is deeply personal, yet her fight is inspirational. She travels the world to meet with KRAS Kicker groups, researchers and providers to help revolutionize treatments. This episode is a testament to the power of hope and the power of the human spirit to kick cancer. Be sure to listen and share this podcast.

HOST: Hildy Grossman, CO-HOST: Jordan Rich GUESTS: Jaime Cheah, Ph.D., Director of Collaborative Screening in the Center for the Development of Therapeutics at the Broad Institute and Jane Wilkinson, co-founder and president of CANCollaborate Our guests, Jane Wilkinson and Jaime Cheah join the conversation to tell us about some incredible work to expand the use of a drug beyond its original treatment target. Jane Wilkinson discusses why this is not only important for lung cancer, but particularly in rare cancers for which the time and cost of developing new drugs is prohibitive. Repurposing drugs is a powerful approach to developing new therapies, because they have already been approved by the FDA and been shown to be safe and effective for at least one indication. Jaime Cheah discusses the work at the Broad Institute at Massachusetts Institute of Technology, in terms of how drugs are repurposed and the scale of this remarkable process. You won’t want to miss how thinking so creatively leads to the beginning of a new drug discovery path.

HOST: Hildy Grossman CO-HOST: Jordan Rich GUESTS: David Barbie, MD and Elliott Brea MD, Ph.D. As Albert Einstein said, “If you can’t explain it simply, you don’t understand it well enough.” That said, our guests on this podcast share groundbreaking research that investigates new ways of using one’s own immune system to fight cancer. Understanding how immunotherapy works is a complicated topic. Our guests, David Barbie, MD and Elliott Brea, MD, PhD of Dana Farber Cancer Institute, do a masterful job in managing to simplify concepts, and in the most enjoyable way. They discuss the workings of immunotherapy and groundbreaking directions within this form of treatment, simplifying terms even the best educated strain to understand. Take a listen now.

HOST: Hildy Grossman CO-HOST: Jordan Rich GUESTS: Jacob Sands, MD and Julia Rotow, MD, Dana Farber Cancer Institute Do you worry about cancer? Do you, or does someone you love, have cancer? Our guests today explore the often-worrisome journey from screening and diagnosis to treatment. This podcast features a thoughtful conversation among oncologists who share various options for diagnosis and treatment for their patients. They address what’s necessary to screen for lung cancer, what are the limits for screening, concerns about the presence of microscopic disease, how surgery and radiation can be curative, when drug treatment can be used along with surgery to improve outcomes, what pharmaceutical treatments are available, when to escalate treatment, or not and more. This valuable and hopeful conversation addresses current cancer care, as well as possibilities in future care, including the development of new technologies. You’ll want to listen and share this information with someone you know who is facing and managing cancer.

HOST: Hildy Grossman, Co-Host: Jordan Rich GUESTS: Chi Fu Jeffrey Yang, MD with Alexandra Potter and Deepti Srinivasan Our podcasts have focused on disparities in healthcare, particularly in Hispanic, Asian, and rural communities. This podcast considers the Black community in the US, and in particular, black women. What do we know about lung cancer differences in the black community vs the white community? Well, we know that both black men and women are less likely to be diagnosed at an early stage where lung cancer is most treatable. So, survival rates in the black community are lower than in the white community. Our guests today are working hard on a research project to address this disparity by bringing information and improving access to CT scans for the community of black women. This group is often ineligible for this diagnostic tool because they don’t meet the guidelines based on the National Lung Cancer Screening Trials. Learn more and why this project is so important. Our guests today, Dr. Chi Fu Jeffrey Yang, Alexandra Potter and Deepti Srinivasan of Mass General Hospital are working hard on research into the community of Black Women and how to facilitate their participation in low dose lung cancer screening.