Lung cancer remains the leading cause of cancer mortality in the United States, surpassing the combined deaths of breast, colon and prostate cancers. It’s a sobering reality that hits close to home in South Florida, because Hispanic communities — which make up roughly 70 percent of the region’s population — are less likely to be diagnosed early and more likely not to receive any treatment compared to whites, according to the American Lung Association State of Lung Cancer 2025 report.

Research and clinical innovation

Baptist Health Miami Cancer Institute recently presented findings from Project ASCENT — Assessing the Impact of Project ASCENT, a Multi-Level Lung Cancer Screening Intervention Targeting Hispanic/Latin Individuals — at the International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer (IASLC) 2025 World Conference on lung Cancer in Barcelona this September.

“We developed a culturally sensitive patient navigation program with a community engagement toolkit of educational materials in Spanish and English,” explained Manmeet Ahluwalia, M.D., MBA, FASCO, who holds the Fernandez Family Foundation Endowed Chair in Cancer Research and serves as chief of medical oncology, chief scientific officer and deputy director of the Institute and Baptist Health Cancer Care.

The results have been significant. Since 2022, the Institute has documented a 130 percent increase in low-dose CT lung cancer screenings through its partnership with the LUNGevity Foundation. Critically, this enhanced screening protocol is detecting more cancers at earlier stages, when they are more treatable.

Beyond screening interventions, Miami Cancer Institute is leading clinical trials focused on improving outcomes for patients with lung cancer. These include:

• A Phase III Randomized Clinical Trial of Proton Craniospinal Irradiation Versus Involved-Field Radiotherapy for Patients with Breast Cancer or Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer Leptomeningeal Metastasis (RADIATE-LM) — The study is comparing different forms of irradiation for their impact on survival and progression-free survival.
• A Phase 2b, Open-Label, Two-Cohort Study of Subcutaneous Amivantamab in Combination with Lazertinib as First-Line Treatment, or Subcutaneous Amivantamab in Combination with Platinum-Based Chemotherapy as Second-Line Treatment for Common EGFR-Mutated Locally Advanced or Metastatic Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer (COPERNICUS) — Researchers are studying whether this drug combination, given as a shot rather than through an IV, works well for treating this specific type of lung cancer at the outset or after other treatments have stopped working.

Next steps with primary care integration

Approximately 15 to 20 percent of eligible individuals nationwide undergo low-dose CT screening, according to the American Cancer Society. Among Hispanic populations in Florida, however, the number is lower.

Recognizing the success of the ASCENT project, the American Cancer society has awarded a grant to expand the project’s reach. The next phase focuses specifically on primary care integration — working directly with family practice and other primary care providers to ensure that eligible patients not only receive screening recommendations but actually complete the imaging studies.

Clinical screening criteria

The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recommends annual low-dose CT lung cancer screenings for people who:

• Are between 50 and 80 years old, and
• Have a 20 pack-year or more smoking history (such as smoking one pack a day for 20 years or two packs a day for 10 years), and
• Currently smoke or have quit within the past 15 years

Given that tobacco exposure remains the predominant risk factor for lung cancer, smoking cessation programs are still critical.

For information, or to schedule an appointment for a lung cancer screening, patients may go to lung cancer screenings or call 833-596-2473.