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Squamous Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer: Current and Emerging Treatment Options

Paul K Paik1, Jianjun Zhang2, Howard Jack West3

  • 1Thoracic Oncology Service, Division of Solid Tumor Oncology, Department of Medicine, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY; Department of Medicine, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, NY.

Clinical Lung Cancer
|November 18, 2025
PubMed

Insights

Treatment options for squamous non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) are limited compared to nonsquamous NSCLC. This review summarizes current and emerging therapies for squamous NSCLC, highlighting unmet needs and future directions.

Area of Science:

  • Oncology
  • Pharmacology
  • Medical Research

Background:

  • Pharmacologic management of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) has advanced, but treatment disparities persist among histologic subtypes.
  • Certain therapies, like bevacizumab and pemetrexed, are unsuitable for squamous NSCLC due to safety or efficacy concerns.
  • Squamous NSCLC presents unique challenges, including distinct mutational landscapes and a lack of targeted therapies.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review current and emerging treatment options for squamous non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).
  • To highlight the limitations and unmet needs in the therapeutic landscape for squamous NSCLC.
  • To provide a comprehensive overview of drug therapies under investigation for this specific NSCLC subtype.

Main Methods:

  • Literature review of current and emerging drug therapies for squamous NSCLC.
  • Analysis of treatment guidelines and clinical trial data.
  • Synthesis of information on therapeutic options, including immunotherapy and chemotherapy.

Main Results:

  • Immunotherapy, often combined with chemotherapy, is the primary treatment for squamous NSCLC in the absence of targeted therapies.
  • Survival outcomes for squamous NSCLC patients remain poorer compared to those with nonsquamous NSCLC.
  • Several promising drug therapies are currently under investigation for squamous NSCLC.

Conclusions:

  • Significant disparities exist in treatment options for squamous versus nonsquamous NSCLC.
  • There is a critical need for novel targeted therapies and improved treatment strategies for squamous NSCLC.
  • Ongoing research holds promise for advancing the care of patients with squamous NSCLC.
Keywords:
ICIImmunotherapyNSCLCVEGF-Atargeted therapy

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