[Treatment of lung cancer guided by genomic tumour profiles]

Area of Science:

• Oncology
• Genomics
• Pharmacology

Background:

• Lung cancer comprises rare diseases, each with distinct genomic abnormalities.
• Next-generation sequencing (NGS) is a key diagnostic tool for identifying driver mutations.
• The advent of targeted drugs is transforming lung cancer understanding and treatment.

Purpose of the Study:

• To highlight the role of genomic profiling in lung cancer.
• To discuss the impact of targeted therapies on patient survival and quality of life.
• To outline the multidisciplinary approach to interpreting genomic data and guiding treatment decisions.

Main Methods:

• Genomic analysis using next-generation sequencing to detect mutations and rearrangements.
• Review of clinical outcomes for patients treated with targeted therapies versus chemotherapy.
• Description of the role of multidisciplinary tumor boards in treatment planning.

Main Results:

• KRAS gene mutations are the most prevalent in lung adenocarcinoma.
• Patients with ALK rearrangements or EGFR mutations benefit from targeted inhibitors (e.g., crizotinib, gefitinib), showing improved progression-free survival and quality of life compared to chemotherapy.
• Tumor resistance to chemotherapy necessitates the rational design of novel drugs.

Conclusions:

• Genomic-driven targeted therapies represent a paradigm shift in lung cancer treatment.
• Personalized medicine approaches, guided by genetic profiling, offer superior outcomes for specific patient subgroups.
• Multidisciplinary tumor boards are crucial for integrating genomic insights into clinical practice and optimizing drug selection.