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A review of recent advances in the novel therapeutic targets and immunotherapy for lung cancer

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Abstract

Lung cancer is amongst the most pervasive malignancies having high mortality rates. It is broadly grouped into non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and small-cell lung cancer (SCLC). The concept of personalized medicine has overshadowed the conventional chemotherapy given to all patients with lung cancer. The targeted therapy is given to a particular population having specific mutations to help in the better management of lung cancer. The targeting pathways for NSCLC include the epidermal growth factor receptor, vascular endothelial growth factor receptor, MET (Mesenchymal epithelial transition factor) oncogene, Kirsten rat sarcoma viral oncogene (KRAS), and anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK). SCLC targeting pathway includes Poly (ADP-ribose) polymerases (PARP) inhibitors, checkpoint kinase 1 (CHK 1) pathway, WEE1 pathway, Ataxia Telangiectasia and Rad3-related (ATR)/Ataxia telangiectasia mutated (ATM), and Delta‐like canonical Notch ligand 3 (DLL-Immune checkpoint inhibitors like programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1)/ programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) inhibitors and Cytotoxic T-lymphocyte-associated antigen-4 (CTLA4) blockade are also utilized in the management of lung cancer. Many of the targeted therapies are still under development and require clinical trials to establish their safety and efficacy. This review summarizes the mechanism of molecular targets and immune-mediated targets, recently approved drugs, and their clinical trials for lung cancer.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Pharmacology, L. M. College of Pharmacy, Navrangpura, Ahmedabad, Gujarat, 380009, India

    Avinash Khadela

  2. Pharm.D Section, L. M. College of Pharmacy, Navrangpura, Ahmedabad, Gujarat, 380009, India

    Humzah Postwala, Deval Rana & Hetvi Dave

  3. Department of Pharmaceutics and Pharm. Technology, L. M. College of Pharmacy, Navrangpura, Ahmedabad, Gujarat, 380009, India

    Ketan Ranch

  4. Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, Ajman University, P.O. Box 346, Ajman, United Arab Emirates

    Sai H. S. Boddu

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AK: Conceptualization, Supervision, Writing—original draft, Writing—review & editing. HP:Writing—original draft, Writing—review & editing. DR:Writing—original draft, Writing – editing. HD:Writing—original draft, Writing—editing. KR:Writing—review & editing. SHSB:Supervision, Writing—original draft, Writing—review & editing.

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Khadela, A., Postwala, H., Rana, D. et al. A review of recent advances in the novel therapeutic targets and immunotherapy for lung cancer. Med Oncol 40, 152 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12032-023-02005-w

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