Small-cell lung cancer is a particularly deadly subtype of lung cancer, which accounts for approximately 15% of new lung cancer diagnoses. Unfortunately, nearly 60% of patients with SCLC present first with metastatic or extensive-stage (ES) disease, for whom standard of care therapy for nearly 40 years has been platinum doublet chemotherapy (cisplatin or carboplatin combined with etoposide or irinotecan), with or without prophylactic cranial irradiation. While generally achieving high response rates, relapse after this therapy has proven to be routine and rapid, resulting in a typical progression-free survival of less than 6 months and median overall survival of less than 9 months. Chemo-immunotherapy evolved to become the standard of care for ES-SCLC, but the improvement in survival, though significant compared to platinum doublet chemotherapy, has remained modest. More recent trials are evaluating newer agents and a more rational, biomarker- based delivery of those agents.

Strategies using targeted immune oncology (such as atezolizumab or durvalumab) in combination with carboplatin, etoposide, or cisplatin, for example, have become first-line treatment in ES-SCLC and offer improved overall survival. Education about these strategies is important for the many stakeholders who contribute to the management of individuals with ES-SCLC, including medical oncologists, pulmonologists, hospitalists and other internists, oncology nurse navigators, and oncology specialty pharmacists. Early initiation and individualization of care, along with optimization of communication and collaboration among the members of the multidisciplinary oncology team, are likely to have the greatest potential impact on patient outcomes. These expert-led live streamed town hall meetings, each focused on one of those key constituencies in the management of ES-SCLC, aim to improve care and patient outcomes by familiarizing clinicians with the most current actionable data and guidelines.