title: Developments in pharmacotherapy for treating metastatic non-small cell lung cancer.
abstract: Most patients with non-small cell lung (NSCLC), including squamous cell carcinoma, adenocarcinoma and large cell carcinoma, have advanced disease at diagnosis and systemic therapy is the standard-of-care. About 20% of Caucasian patients are affected by an oncogene-addicted advanced NSCLC for which correspondent inhibitors are available. Areas covered: The main state-of-the-art synthetic anticancer drugs in the groups of chemotherapeutics, epidermal growth factor receptor and anaplastic lymphoma kinase tyrosine kinase inhibitors for NSCLC treatment, are reviewed and discussed from phase III randomized practice-changing trials onwards. A structured search of bibliographic databases for peer-reviewed research literature and of main meetings using a focused review question was undertaken. Expert opinion: The survival of NSCLC patients is increasing, regardless of the presence or not of a specific target, due to the availability of new generation drugs. The continuous deep knowledge of the mechanisms of NSCLC development and the constant research into new drugs should lead to the discovery of new potential targets and the synthesis of corresponding inhibitors to improve the outcomes of each subgroup of patients in order to control the disease in a constantly growing percentage of patients.
authors.affiliation: a Division of Medical Oncology , 'S.G. Moscati' Hospital , Avellino , Italy.
authors.forename: Antonio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rossi
authors.affiliation: a Division of Medical Oncology , 'S.G. Moscati' Hospital , Avellino , Italy.
authors.forename: Paola Claudia
authors.initials: PC
authors.lastname: Sacco
authors.affiliation: a Division of Medical Oncology , 'S.G. Moscati' Hospital , Avellino , Italy.
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Santabarbara
authors.affiliation: a Division of Medical Oncology , 'S.G. Moscati' Hospital , Avellino , Italy.
authors.forename: Assunta
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sgambato
authors.affiliation: a Division of Medical Oncology , 'S.G. Moscati' Hospital , Avellino , Italy.
authors.forename: Francesca
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Casaluce
authors.affiliation: b Division of Medical Oncology , 'ULSS 15 Cittadella' , Italy.
authors.forename: Giovanni
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Palazzolo
authors.affiliation: a Division of Medical Oncology , 'S.G. Moscati' Hospital , Avellino , Italy.
authors.forename: Paolo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Maione
authors.affiliation: a Division of Medical Oncology , 'S.G. Moscati' Hospital , Avellino , Italy.
authors.forename: Cesare
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Gridelli
mesh_terms: D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000188:drug therapy; D000077548:Anaplastic Lymphoma Kinase; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002289:Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung / Q000188:drug therapy*; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000188:drug therapy; D066246:ErbB Receptors / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors; D006801:Humans; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy*; D047428:Protein Kinase Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; D020794:Receptor Protein-Tyrosine Kinases / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D047428:Protein Kinase Inhibitors; C000626173:ALK protein, human; D000077548:Anaplastic Lymphoma Kinase; C512478:EGFR protein, human; D066246:ErbB Receptors; D020794:Receptor Protein-Tyrosine Kinases
keywords: ALK; EGFR; NSCLC; chemotherapy; pemetrexed; tyrosine kinase inhibitor