Can sensitivity to cytotoxic chemotherapy be predicted by biomarkers?

Abstract

Non-small-cell lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer-related death worldwide with poor outcomes, even when a curative treatment approach is feasible. Chemotherapy remains a useful option for the majority of patients with advanced or relapsed disease as well as having a substantial role in the adjuvant setting. Identifying predictive biomarkers would enable us to better select those patients more likely to benefit from chemotherapy while avoiding toxic effects in those patients not deriving benefit from chemotherapy. although the use of biomarkers to select chemotherapy is not the standard approach, several potential biomarkers have been identified and a few prospective trials are ongoing. We review here the most-studied biomarkers for chemotherapy. © The author 2012. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the European Society for Medical Oncology. All rights reserved.