Molecular classification of small cell lung cancer subtypes: Characteristics, prognostic factors, and clinical translation / 中华医学杂志(英文版)

Small cell lung cancer (SCLC) is a highly malignant tumor with a very poor prognosis; therefore, more effective treatments are urgently needed for patients afflicted with the disease. In recent years, emerging molecular classifications based on key transcription factors of SCLC have provided more information on the tumor pathophysiology, metastasis, immune microenvironment, and acquired therapeutic resistance and reflected the intertumoral heterogeneity of the various SCLC phenotypes. Additionally, advances in genomics and single-cell sequencing analysis have further revealed the high intratumoral heterogeneity and plasticity of the disease. Herein, we review and summarize these recent lines of evidence and discuss the possible pathogenesis of SCLC.

Epidermal growth factor receptor compound and concomitant mutations: advances in precision treatment strategies / 中华医学杂志(英文版)

Epidermal growth factor receptor ( EGFR ) mutations are common oncogenic driver mutations in patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). The application of EGFR-tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) is beneficial for patients with advanced and early-stage NSCLC. With the development of next-generation sequencing technology, numerous patients have been found to have more than one genetic mutation in addition to a single EGFR mutation; however, the efficacy of conventional EGFR-TKIs and the optimal treatments for such patients remain largely unknown. Thus, we review the incidence, prognosis, and current treatment regimens of EGFR compound mutations and EGFR concomitant mutations to provide treatment recommendations and guidance for patients with these mutations.

Progress of neoadjuvant immunotherapy in non-small cell lung cancer / 肿瘤研究与临床

Immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI) has become one of the important therapeutic strategies for the patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). The latest clinical studies have shown that immunotherapy can bring more survival benefits to patients with early lung cancer and operable patients with locally advanced lung cancer. However, the strategies of neoadjuvant immunotherapy, the timing of operation, the evaluation system of curative effect, predictive markers and other problems still need to be explored in the clinical practice of large samples. This paper reviews the progress of neoadjuvant immunotherapy in NSCLC.

Advances in Combination Therapy of Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors for Lung Cancer / 中国肺癌杂志

Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) therapy is the most commonly used immunotherapy regimen at present. It has been approved for clinical treatment of melanoma, kidney cancer, head and neck cancer, bladder cancer and other tumors. It has made a breakthrough in the treatment of lung cancer and become a new pillar of comprehensive treatment of lung cancer. However, ICIs alone is less effective in non-selective patients, and combination therapy has become a hot topic of exploration. This article focuses on the development of combined immune checkpoint inhibitors and describes how immunotherapy can be used to treat early stage cancer.

Evaluation criteria for tumor efficacy in the times of immunotherapy / 国际肿瘤学杂志

With the advent of the times of immunotherapy and the emergence of a variety of unconventional response patterns such as delayed response and pseudo-progressive disease,a variety of immune-related efficacy evaluation criteria such as immune-related response criteria,immune-related response evaluation criteria in solid tumor and immune response evaluation criteria in solid tumor have been proposed successively.The evaluation principles and judgment results of these criteria are distinctly different from the traditional response evaluation criteria.In particular,the newly proposed immune response evaluation criteria in solid tumor introduces two new concepts of unconfirmed progressive disease and confirmed progressive disease and provides a new response evaluation model for solid tumors,which is expected to provide solutions to some of the most urgent clinical problems under the times of cancer immunotherapy.

Progress of drug resistance mechanism in checkpoint inhibitors / 肿瘤研究与临床

Immune checkpoint signaling pathway mediates tumor immune escape through various mechanisms. In recent years, studies on immune checkpoint inhibitors have made great breakthroughs in various tumors. However, characteristics of the tumor cells, abnormal presentation of the antigens, functional gene mutations, tumor immune microenvironment, internal environment of patients and metabolic factors can all lead to primary or secondary resistance to immunotherapy. The exploration of the molecular mechanism and response strategy of immunotherapy is the key to further expand the beneficial population treated by immune checkpoint inhibitors and realize the accurate treatment.