title: The potential role of insulin-like growth factor receptor inhibitors in the treatment of advanced non-small cell lung cancer.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer-related mortality worldwide. NSCLC accounts for > 80% of all lung cancers. The treatment of advanced fit NSCLC patients seems to have reached a plateau. Considerable efforts have been initiated to identify new biological agents.
  
  
  METHODS
  Diagnosis of NSCLC histotype is becoming extremely important to address treatment. While non-squamous histology could start to benefit from the administration of several new drugs only recently, non-adenocarcinoma subtype seems to benefit from the administration of figitumumab (CP-751,871) a fully human anti-IGF 1 receptor (IGF-1R) mAb. In this paper, we reviewed the IGF-1R pathway and its inhibitors.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Approaches targeting IGF-1R include small-molecule IGF-1R tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs), which are in preclinical and early clinical phases of development, and the mAbs, among which figitumumab is being investigated in Phase III trials of advanced NSCLC.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Figitumumab reported interesting results in the treatment of advanced non-adenocarcinoma NSCLC patients. Overall, in order to administer the optimal treatment to patients, a more definite histological diagnosis is mandatory.
authors.affiliation: SG Moscati Hospital, Division of Medical Oncology, Avellino, Italy. cgridelli@libero.it
authors.forename: Cesare
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Gridelli
authors.forename: Antonio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rossi
authors.forename: Maria Anna
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Bareschino
authors.forename: Clorinda
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Schettino
authors.forename: Paola Claudia
authors.initials: PC
authors.lastname: Sacco
authors.forename: Paolo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Maione
mesh_terms: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002289:Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D015195:Drug Design; D015507:Drugs, Investigational / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D016756:Immunoglobulins, Intravenous; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D017526:Receptor, IGF Type 1 / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors* / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D015507:Drugs, Investigational; D016756:Immunoglobulins, Intravenous; D017526:Receptor, IGF Type 1; C525021:figitumumab