Investigational agents in the management of non-small cell lung cancer

Area of Science:

• Oncology
• Pharmacology

Background:

• Novel therapeutic agents are increasingly central to non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) treatment.
• Targeted drugs are replacing traditional cytotoxic agents in clinical trials for NSCLC.
• Inhibitors of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) pathways demonstrate significant clinical activity.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review recently reported clinical trials of targeted agents for NSCLC.
• To highlight agents targeting EGFR and/or VEGF pathways.
• To discuss the potential impact of these targeted agents on NSCLC treatment standards.

Main Methods:

• Review of recently reported clinical trials.
• Focus on agents targeting EGFR (e.g., erlotinib, gefitinib, cetuximab).
• Focus on agents targeting VEGF (e.g., bevacizumab) or VEGF receptor (e.g., sorafenib, sunitinib, cediranib).
• Inclusion of agents targeting both pathways (e.g., vandetanib, combination therapies).

Main Results:

• Numerous trials reported in the past year involving EGFR and VEGF pathway inhibitors.
• These targeted agents have shown significant clinical activity in advanced NSCLC.
• Some targeted agents have already altered the standard of care for NSCLC.

Conclusions:

• Targeted agents, particularly EGFR and VEGF inhibitors, represent a major advance in NSCLC therapy.
• Recent trials indicate a shift towards targeted monotherapy or combination regimens.
• These agents hold significant potential to further improve outcomes for NSCLC patients.