The Evolving Continuum of Diagnosis in the Modern Age of Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer

Lung cancer remains the most common cause of cancer-related deaths in the United States. Traditional treatment of non-small cell lung cancer has included surgical resection for suitable candidates with early stage (I/II) disease and various chemoradiotherapeutic regimens used for advanced disease, for which prognosis has been poor. Since the early 2000s, there has been a revolution in the diagnosis and treatment of non-small cell lung cancer driven by improved diagnostic techniques and therapies targeted to druggable oncogenic drivers or manipulation of the immunologic milieu in the tumor microenvironment. With this has come a need for frequently updated comprehensive data regarding response to treatment and acquired resistance to targeted therapies. In this article, we aim to provide a concise review of the state-of-the-art in lung cancer workup in 2021, with a focus on how molecular data now informs treatment decisions. With the burgeoning use of immunotherapeutic approaches, we will also discuss some of the complications seen, and briefly discuss their management.