title: Targeting the MET pathway for potential treatment of NSCLC.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The mesenchymal-epithelial transition (MET) protein is the only known receptor for hepatocyte growth factor and has recently been identified as a novel promising target in several human cancers, including NSCLC. Activation of the MET signaling pathway can occur via different mechanisms. A number of compounds targeting MET have been evaluated in clinical trials, and recent clinical data have begun to afford some insight into the tumor types and patient populations that might benefit from treatment with MET pathway inhibitors.
  
  
  METHODS
  We review recent publications and information disclosed at public conferences and summarize the epidemiology of dysregulation of MET signaling, and the associations thereof with other driver genes and therapeutic inhibitors useful to treat NSCLC.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The MET pathway is emerging as a target for advanced NSCLC that is either resistant to EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitors or that arises de novo. MET inhibitors currently being evaluated in clinical trials have yielded compelling evidence of clinical activities when used to treat various solid tumors, especially NSCLC. Remaining challenges are the identification of patient populations who might benefit from the use of MET inhibitors, and the most effective diagnostic methods for such patients.
authors.affiliation: Guangdong Lung Cancer Institute, Guangdong General Hospital and Guangdong Academy of Medical Science , 106 Zhongshan 2nd Road, Guangzhou 510080 , PR China +86 20 83877855 ; +86 20 83827712 ; syylwu@live.cn.
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Hong-Fei
authors.initials: HF
authors.lastname: Gao
authors.forename: Yi-Long
authors.initials: YL
authors.lastname: Wu
mesh_terms: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002289:Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology; D058750:Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology; D058990:Molecular Targeted Therapy; D011379:Prognosis; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents
keywords: NSCLC; inhibitor; mesenchymal-epithelial transition protein; target treatment