The Rise of the TROP2-Targeting Agents in NSCLC: New Options on the Horizon

Abstract

Background: Lung cancer is the most common thoracic malignancy, representing the leading cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide with a 5-year survival rate of <10%.

Summary: The emergence of targeted therapy and immunotherapy has changed the treatment paradigm of advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). However, for those who are not eligible for such therapy or currently have no available standard treatment options, new precision treatment approaches are needed. Human trophoblast cell-surface antigen 2 (TROP2) is a transmembrane glycoprotein that is highly expressed on several epithelial tumours including NSCLC. TROP2 is recognized as a promising molecular target for therapeutic development in various types of TROP2-expressing malignancies. As a result, several TROP2-targeted therapeutics have recently been developed for clinical use, such as anti-TROP2 antibodies and TROP2-targeted antibody-drug conjugates. Key Message: This review explores the literature data on the role of TROP2 in cancer development and the potential use of emerging TROP2 antibody-drug conjugates in NSCLC treatment.

Keywords: Antibody-drug conjugates; Non-small cell lung cancer; Sacituzumab; Targeted therapy; Trophoblast cell-surface antigen 2.