FGFR1 inhibition in lung squamous cell carcinoma: questions and controversies

Abstract

Although the incidence of lung cancer has decreased due to the reduction of tobacco use, lung cancer remains the leading cause of cancer-related death. Lung squamous cell carcinoma represents 30% of lung cancers and only recently have possible drug-targetable mutations been identified in this disease, including fibroblast growth factor receptor 1 (FGFR1) gene amplification and genetic alterations in the phosphoinositide-3 kinase pathway. These discoveries have generated a great interest in the clinic and the initiation of clinical trials using FGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitors to treat FGFR-altered lung cancers. However, preliminary results from these studies have shown that not all patients r..