LUNGevity Foundation launched its first Lung Cancer Patient Gateway for people with the KRAS biomarker at the end of October.The KRAS Patient Gateway is the first of six portals designed to connect people with resources and information about specific types of lung cancer.

Biomarkers such as the KRAS mutation are genetic mutations that can lead to cancer. When a doctor determines what genetic mutations are causing a person’s specific lung cancer diagnosis, they can tailor the person’s treatment plan accordingly. The KRAS mutation is found in up to 30 percent of people with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). NSCLC is one of two main types of lung cancer and accounts for 80 percent of lung cancer cases.

LUNGevity is developing its gateways to ensure people diagnosed with lung cancer and oncologists have access to the most up-to-date information so they can make the best decisions about treatment. The KRAS Patient Gateway includes a specialist-finder tool as well as educational materials about KRAS positive lung cancer and clinical trials.

“There have been substantial, even extraordinary, advances in scientific lung cancer research over the past decade,” Andrea Ferris, president and CEO of LUNGevity Foundation, said in a statement. “With such rapidly advancing science and resulting treatment options, both newly diagnosed patients and their physicians stand to benefit from having an interactive resource where the latest information about the disease is readily available.”

The other five Patient Gateway sites will be launched over the next several months. They will encompass:

• NSCLC
• Small cell lung cancer (SCLC)
• EGFR biomarker
• ALK biomarker
• Rare mutations (including ROS1, MET, RET, NTRK, BRAF)