Novel approaches to the treatment of non-small cell lung cancer.
Prognosis of non-small cell lung carcinomas (NSCLC) remains poor, especially in advanced disease. The introduction of new cytotoxic agents in the past decade did only attain minor improvements in survival. It is rather clear that chemotherapy may have reached a plateau, and that it will be difficult to obtain better results in advanced NSCLC by chemotherapy alone. Novel treatment modalities are urgently needed in advanced NSCLC. Backed-up by advances in the understanding of tumor cell biology, a new generation of anticancer agents specifically directed at targets such as tyrosine kinases, farnesyl transferase, angiogenesis factors, matrixmetalloproteinases and oncogenes has been developed in recent years. In this review, we give a brief summary of the state-of-the-art treatment of NSCLC, highlighting its limitations. Novel systemic approaches are then discussed in detail with focus on their mechanistic rationale, stage of clinical development and possible drawbacks. Finally, perspectives of future applications and impact on the treatment of NSCLC are also discussed.
Ferreira
Carlos G
CG
Department of Medical Oncology, Academic Hospital Vrije Universiteit, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
Huisman
Cynthia
C
Giaccone
Giuseppe
G
D020533:Angiogenesis Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000818:Animals; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects; D002289:Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung / Q000628:therapy*; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use; D018773:Genes, erbB-1 / Q000502:physiology; D015316:Genetic Therapy; D006801:Humans; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000628:therapy*; D016376:Oligonucleotides, Antisense / Q000627:therapeutic use; D014612:Vaccines / Q000627:therapeutic use
D020533:Angiogenesis Inhibitors; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors; D016376:Oligonucleotides, Antisense; D014612:Vaccines