Rationale for targeting the ErbB family of receptors in patients with advanced squamous cell carcinoma of the lung

Abstract

Squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) of the lung represents around 30% of all non-small-cell lung cancers. Treatment options for nonsquamous histology have increased in recent years following the development of pemetrexed chemotherapy and the identification of activating EGFR mutations and ALK rearrangements as targets for effective noncytotoxic agents. By contrast, until recently the development of new therapies for SCC has lagged behind. However, the identification of important genetic events driving SCC, including a greater understanding of the role of the ErbB receptor family in SCC pathogenesis, as well as recent immunotherapy advances, have led to new treatment options for SCC.

Keywords: afatinib; immune checkpoint; lung cancer; nivolumab; oncogenic drivers; pan-ErbB inhibitors; squamous cell carcinoma; targeted medicine.