Drug resistance to molecular targeted therapy and its consequences for treatment decisions in non-small-cell lung cancer

Abstract

Our ability to detect and directly target the oncogenic alterations responsible for tumorproliferation has contributed significantly to the management of lung cancer in the last decade.The therapeutic efficacy of molecularly targeted therapy is, however, mainly limited to patientsharboring certain genetic mutations and is generally short-lived. Herein, we review primary andsecondary drug resistance using the most well-studied of the molecularly targeted agents, thetyrosine kinase inhibitors targeting the epidermal growth factor (EGF) receptor and theanaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) rearrangement, the current limitations of targeted therapiesand their consequences on the management of patients with lung cancer. © 2014 Spaans and Goss.