SEATTLE – Oct. 28, 2026 – According to the American Cancer Society (ACS), lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer death in the United States, causing 1 in 5 of all cancer deaths and more deaths than colon, breast and prostate cancers combined. The ACS estimates that about 229,000 new lung cancer cases will be diagnosed in 2026.
During Lung Cancer Awareness Month in November, researchers and clinicians at Fred Hutch Cancer Center are available to share insight on screening and prevention recommendations, new offerings in supportive care, and innovative research and treatment.
Contact media@fredhutch.org to connect with an expert.
Prevention and Smoking Cessation
Lifestyle factors like smoking put patients at a much higher risk for developing lung cancer. Experts Jonathan B. Bricker, PhD and Matthew “Matty” Triplette, MD, MPH are available to discuss current technology and research projects to help people quit smoking.
Dr. Bricker’s research is focused on developing technology-based smoking cessation platforms; his free QuitBot app offers AI-powered coaching for quitting smoking. His current studies test the efficacy of these platforms among Hispanic, Indigenous and underserved communities.
Dr. Triplette leads the PATCHES Lab at Fred Hutch, which focuses on lung cancer screening and tobacco cessation in underserved and at-risk groups including the LGBTQ+ community, American Indian and Alaska Natives (AI/AN) population, and rural communities. He also leads Living Tobacco-Free Services, which provide medications to manage nicotine withdrawal, stress management strategies, and educational resources and materials.
Screening and Early Detection
According to the ACS, the best success against lung cancer is early diagnosis and treatment, when survival rates can be greater than 80%.
Dr. Matty Triplette not only supports underserved communities with smoking cessation, he also leads the Lung Cancer Early Detection and Prevention Clinic (LCEDPC) and Fred Hutch’s Lung Screening Program.
Annual Lung Cancer Screening is available for individuals who meet certain guidelines set by the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force. The LCEDPC is available for individuals experiencing lung cancer symptoms or who have found lung abnormalities, including lung nodules, in routine imaging.
Knowing your biological and genetic risk for lung cancer allows for better informed health decisions and tailored strategies for prevention. At Fred Hutch, eligible patients can participate in Genetic Counseling and Testing to better understand their families’ hereditary risk of lung cancer, or screen for cancer-causing mutations like the EGFR gene.
Thomas J. Lynch Jr., MD, president and director of Fred Hutch and holder of the Raisbeck Endowed Chair was part of the first research team to develop targeted therapies for lung cancer patients with EGFR gene mutations. He is available to discuss his research in lung cancer and the impact of precision therapies.
New, Innovative Research
Computational biologists Gavin Ha, PhD, and David MacPherson, PhD, are working to develop a first-of-its-kind liquid biopsy for small cell lung cancer (SCLC). According to MacPherson, the new tool will “improve clinical responses and detect transformation of non-small cell lung cancer to SCLC.”
Also in the MacPherson Lab, researcher Alex Doan is working to develop a novel immunotherapy for SCLC using glycobiology, the study of sugar molecules on cell surfaces. Doan’s research earned the Dorothy L. Simpson Leadership Award from the Seattle chapter of the Achievement Rewards for College Scientists Foundation.
The Fred Hutch Lung Specialized Project of Research Excellence (SPORE), co-lead by McGarry Houghton, MD, brings together experts from Fred Hutch and partner organizations to fast-track the latest lab breakthroughs to patients and those at risk of developing lung cancer. Key elements of the program are interdisciplinary collaboration, resource sharing and inclusion of patient advocates on the research team.
Molly Tokaz, MD, assistant professor in the Division of Hematology and Oncology at the University of Washington, shared insights into the rapid evolution of targeted therapies, immunotherapy and supportive care in thoracic oncology. Tokaz also shared new approaches to treating lung cancer, including optimized immunotherapy dosing, cellular therapies, antibody-drug conjugates and cancer vaccines.
Patient Care and Supportive Services
At Fred Hutch, experts offer the full spectrum of comprehensive tailored care including prevention, screening and diagnosis, treatment and surveillance.
Cancer therapy can cause a range of different side effects for patients. Our Cancer Rehabilitation offers scar tissue management, exercise prescription, and support for patients dealing with effects of their treatment. Hanna Hunter, MD, medical director of Cancer Rehabilitation, is available to speak on treatment side effects and recommendations to address them.
Experts Diane Tseng, MD, PhD, medical oncologist; Christina S. Baik, MD, MPH, medical oncologist and researcher, and Douglas Wood, MD, FACS, FRCS, surgeon, are available to discuss new advances in lung cancer treatment and what they are seeing from cancer cases in the clinic.
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Fred Hutch Cancer Center
Fred Hutch Cancer Center is globally recognized for trailblazing discoveries that have helped save more than a million lives worldwide. Based in Seattle, Fred Hutch is the only NCI-designated cancer center in Washington state and is home to Nobel Prize–winning scientists and cancer care experts who have made major breakthroughs in preventing and eliminating cancer and infectious disease — including bone marrow transplantation, immunotherapy and the HPV vaccine. Fred Hutch’s role as a hub for national research initiatives and clinical trial networks helps scale discoveries for greater impact. An independent cancer center, Fred Hutch also serves as UW Medicine’s cancer program. Learn more at Fredhutch.org