A Review of Targeted Therapies for Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer Treatment

Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) accounts for around 80-90% of all lung cancers as well as for most cancer related deaths in men. Targeted therapies play a crucial role in the treatment of NSCLC. This literature review explores the effectiveness of three targeted therapies: Crizotinib, bevacizumab, and osimertinib. Crizotinib targets anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) and mesenchymal epithelial transitional (MET) alterations, while bevacizumab inhibits vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) to impede angiogenesis. Osimertinib, a third-generation epidermal growth factor receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitor (EGFR-TKI), targets epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutations, particularly T790M. Each therapy targets distinct molecular pathways involved in NSCLC progression and resistance mechanisms. Understanding the comparative efficacy of these targeted therapies is essential for optimizing treatment strategies and improving patient outcomes.