Advances In Precision Medicine for Lung Cancer: From Diagnosis to Targeted Drugs

Lung cancer continues to be one of the most common causes of cancer-related death around the world and despite advances in conventional treatment, the survival outcomes remain poor. The heterogeneity of lung cancer, which is broadly classified as non-small cell lung carcinoma (NSCLC) or small-cell lung carcinoma (SCLC), demands that more precision-based approaches be developed to treat the disease. Precision medicine is a paradigm shifting approach now using molecular profiling, biomarker selection, and when appropriate, nimbleness in therapeutic development. These advances which represent novel therapeutic opportunities to target genetically mediated alterations and associated signaling pathways in lung cancer are evolving rapidly. For example, there are new classes of agents, including repotrectinib, pralsetinib, and capmatinib targeting RET and MET mutations, while mobocertinib is being developed for EGFR exon 20 insertions and lorlatinib was successful in ALK- and ROS1-positive NSCLC. Sotorasib was the first therapy approved for KRAS G12C-mutant cancers. Recently, also lurbinectedin has provided new therapeutic options for relapsed SCLC patients. Furthermore, zenocutuzumab shows promise in patients with HER2/HER3-driven tumors.