Hanyang Med Rev.  2014 Feb;34(1):37-44. 10.7599/hmr.2014.34.1.37.

Molecular Targeted Therapy in Lung Cancer

• Ahn MJ

• KMID: 2168312
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.7599/hmr.2014.34.1.37

Abstract

Lung cancer is the most common cause of cancer death worldwide. With advances in understanding of lung cancer biology and technology, there has been significant improvement in the treatment of non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) during the last decades through the development of targeted agents for molecular subgroups harboring specific genomic abnormalities. So far, agents targeting Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) and Anaplastic Lymphoma Kinase (ALK) have led to high and durable response rates in patients with EGFR mutation or ALK translocation. Also agents targeting VEGF improved overall survival even though a specific biomarker has not been defined yet. As more and more genomic alterations, such as ROS1, RET, MET, HER2, BRAF, FGFR1, DDR2, PI3KCA and K-ras, are being identified in NSCLC, new targeted agents for patients with specific genomic alterations have been developed and have showed promising results. Furthermore, promising results with immune checkpoint inhibitors such as CTLA4 inhibitors, PD-1 or PDL-1 antibody will shed light on further improvement of treatment of lung cancer in the near future. However, the evolving nature of cancer through the appearance of resistance to targeted agents and tumor heterogeneity would provide much challenge to conquer lung cancer. Unfortunately, since no significant progress has been achieved in targeted agents in small cell lung cancer, this review will focus on NSCLC and provides an overview of growing new targeted agents in the treatment of NSCLC.

Keyword

Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung; Molecular Targeted Therapy; Receptor, Epidermal Growth Factor

MeSH Terms

Biology
Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung
Humans
Lung Neoplasms*
Lung*
Lymphoma
Molecular Targeted Therapy*
Phosphotransferases
Population Characteristics
Receptor, Epidermal Growth Factor
Small Cell Lung Carcinoma
Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A
Phosphotransferases
Receptor, Epidermal Growth Factor
Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A

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