Antimicrobial peptides as novel therapeutics for non-small cell lung cancer

Abstract

Lung cancer is the second most common cancer in both men and women. Of all the lung cancer cases reported, 85% are non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Although current treatments have improved the overall survival rate, success is limited, with serious treatment-related adverse effects reported. In addition, an increase in drug-resistant cancer cells limits the available treatment options. Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) have gained much interest as anticancer drugs as they can selectively kill cancer cells but not healthy cells. Further, AMPs show minimal toxicity and minimal chances for developing resistance. In this review, I discuss the advantages of AMPs, their mechanism of action, and progress in AMP development for use in NSCLC treatment.