Extended Survival Raises New Questions on Imaging and Treatment Intensification in ROS1+ NSCLC
Medical experts are re-evaluating surveillance strategies for long-term survivors of ROS1-positive non-small cell lung cancer. As patients live longer on targeted therapies, there is a growing debate over reducing the frequency of radiation-heavy imaging scans.
Why it matters
It addresses the evolving challenges of managing chronic cancer care and balancing effective monitoring with patient quality of life.
As patients with ROS1-positive non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) stay on tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) for years, Jorge Nieva, MD, says the long-term data do not change how disease is monitored. Progression can occur at any time with any cancer, so surveillance remains essential. What is changing is how patients think about it. ROS1-positive NSCLC is a disease of young people, and as survival is measured in years rather than months, concerns about radiation exposure from repeated scans are growing. Several of Nieva's long-term survivors on TKIs have asked whether they can move from CT scans every 3 months to every 6 months.
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