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Advances in Precision Medicine: Targeting Known and Emerging Oncogenic Targets...
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Advances in Precision Medicine: Targeting Known and Emerging Oncogenic Targets in Lung Cancer (2nd Edition)

A special issue of Cancers (ISSN 2072-6694). This special issue belongs to the section "Molecular Cancer Biology".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 15 August 2026 | Viewed by 4671

Special Issue Editor

Prof. Dr. Tianhong Li

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Division of Hematology/Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine, University of California Davis Comprehensive Cancer Center, Sacramento, CA, USA
Interests: precision oncology; lung cancer; targeted therapy; biomarkers
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

This Special Issue is the second edition of “Advances in Precision Medicine: Targeting Known and Emerging Oncogenic Targets in Lung Cancer”.

The landscape of the diagnosis and treatment of lung cancer has significantly evolved over the past two decades. The current era of precision medicine in resectable early-stage and non-operable advanced-stage NSCLC mandates the pathohistological evaluation and molecular biomarker testing of tumor specimens at diagnosis. Increasingly, subsequent biomarker testing is essential for selecting appropriate treatment at timepoints of tumor progression throughout the disease course. Significant progress has also been made in expanding the armamentarium of targeted therapies, from small molecule tyrosine kinase inhibitors and monoclonal antibodies to covalent bound inhibitors, bispecific antibodies, and antibody–drug conjugants for both known and emerging oncogenic targets. The clinical implementation of precision medicine in lung cancer requires the close collaboration of a multidisciplinary team, along with further technology and knowledge advances in understanding tumor biology and biomarker-guided treatment selection at the patient level. This Special Issue will focus on a series of reviews focusing on recent advances in targeting known and emerging oncogenic targets (such as MET, HER2, and KRAS genomic alterations) in lung adenocarcinomas, lung squamous cell carcinoma, neuroendocrine, small cell lung cancer, and malignant pleural mesothelioma.

Prof. Dr. Tianhong Li
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Cancers is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2900 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • precision oncology
  • lung cancer
  • oncogenic target
  • targeted therapy
  • biomarker
  • diagnosis

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Related Special Issue

Published Papers (3 papers)

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Review

18 pages, 676 KB  
Review
Artificial Intelligence Tools in Precision Lung Cancer Care: From Early Detection to Clinical Decision Support
by Christopher R. Grant, Sandip P. Patel and Tali Azenkot
Cancers 2026, 18(9), 1455; https://doi.org/10.3390/cancers18091455 - 1 May 2026
Viewed by 642
Abstract
Thoracic malignancies are uniquely positioned for the integration of emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI), which have the potential to advance precision oncology across the cancer care continuum. In cancer screening, AI has emerged as a promising strategy to enhance diagnostic accuracy, [...] Read more.
Thoracic malignancies are uniquely positioned for the integration of emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI), which have the potential to advance precision oncology across the cancer care continuum. In cancer screening, AI has emerged as a promising strategy to enhance diagnostic accuracy, efficiency, and scalability. Deep learning applied to pathology (pathomics) and imaging (radiomics) has enabled the development of novel, noninvasive tools capable of predicting histologic and molecular features that may correlate with treatment response or toxicity. In drug discovery, computational approaches can analyze large-scale genomic, chemical, and clinical datasets to accelerate target identification and match candidate compounds to available targets; this may be particularly useful in the context of resistance to targeted therapy. AI tools may also support treatment planning for radiation and surgery, guide systemic therapy selection, and facilitate continuous monitoring for early identification of treatment resistance or toxicity. As these technologies are integrated into clinical workflows, careful attention to ethical, regulatory, and clinical governance frameworks will be essential to ensure equitable implementation and bias mitigation. Maintaining human oversight and a human-centered approach remain critical, as complex treatment decisions and sensitive patient interactions are central to the care of patients with thoracic malignancies. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Precision Medicine: Targeting Known and Emerging Oncogenic Targets in Lung Cancer (2nd Edition))
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27 pages, 553 KB  
Review
Emerging Immunotherapy and Antibody-Derived Therapeutics for the Treatment of Advanced Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer: A Review
by Alicia Yunxin Hou, Dina Elantably, Rami Manochakian, Vamsidhar Velcheti, Shenduo Li, Yujie Zhao and Yanyan Lou
Cancers 2026, 18(8), 1291; https://doi.org/10.3390/cancers18081291 - 19 Apr 2026
Viewed by 1674
Abstract
Background: In the last decade, a surge of advancements in and approvals of immunotherapies has revolutionized the treatment of non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Even as an increasing number of immune checkpoint inhibitors and antibody–drug conjugates gained FDA approval for the remarkable response [...] Read more.
Background: In the last decade, a surge of advancements in and approvals of immunotherapies has revolutionized the treatment of non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Even as an increasing number of immune checkpoint inhibitors and antibody–drug conjugates gained FDA approval for the remarkable response and durable remission they imparted to some patients, persistent challenges of primary and acquired resistance, imperfect predictive biomarkers, and toxicity remain. Methods: This review identifies and summarizes the most significant emerging clinical data being reported for immunotherapies in NSCLC. Results: We found that the most recent clinical trials are centered on antibody–drug conjugates, bispecific and multispecific antibodies, cellular therapies, and immunocytokines, while other ongoing trials continue to explore new monoclonal antibodies as well as a variety of immunotherapy modalities. Conclusions: Immunotherapy in NSCLC remains an area of rapid advancement, with the potential for further improvements in safety and efficacy as monotherapy and in multimodal approaches. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Precision Medicine: Targeting Known and Emerging Oncogenic Targets in Lung Cancer (2nd Edition))
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29 pages, 4039 KB  
Review
Targeting Mesenchymal-Epidermal Transition (MET) Aberrations in Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer: Current Challenges and Therapeutic Advances
by Fahua Deng, Weijie Ma and Sixi Wei
Cancers 2026, 18(2), 207; https://doi.org/10.3390/cancers18020207 - 8 Jan 2026
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1688
Abstract
The mesenchymal–epithelial transition (MET) receptor is a tyrosine kinase activated by its sole known ligand, hepatocyte growth factor (HGF). MET signaling regulates key cellular processes, including proliferation, survival, migration, motility, and angiogenesis. Dysregulation and hyperactivation of this pathway are implicated in multiple malignancies, [...] Read more.
The mesenchymal–epithelial transition (MET) receptor is a tyrosine kinase activated by its sole known ligand, hepatocyte growth factor (HGF). MET signaling regulates key cellular processes, including proliferation, survival, migration, motility, and angiogenesis. Dysregulation and hyperactivation of this pathway are implicated in multiple malignancies, including lung, breast, colorectal, and gastrointestinal cancers. In non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), aberrant activation of the MET proto-oncogene contributes to 1% of known oncogenic drivers and is associated with poor clinical outcomes. Several mechanisms can induce MET hyperactivation, including MET gene amplification, transcriptional upregulation of MET or HGF, MET fusion genes, and MET exon 14 skipping mutations. Furthermore, MET pathway activation represents a frequent mechanism of acquired resistance to EGFR- and ALK-targeted tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) in EGFR- and ALK-driven NSCLCs. Although MET has long been recognized as a promising therapeutic target in NSCLC, the clinical efficacy of MET-targeted therapies has historically lagged behind that of EGFR and ALK inhibitors. Encouragingly, several MET TKIs such as capmatinib, tepotinib, and savolitinib have been approved for the treatment of MET exon 14 skipping mutations. They have also demonstrated potential in overcoming MET-driven resistance to EGFR TKIs or ALK TKIs. On 14 May 2025, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration granted accelerated approval to telisotuzumab vedotin-tllv for adult patients with locally advanced or metastatic non-squamous NSCLC whose tumors exhibit high c-Met protein overexpression and who have already received prior systemic therapy. In this review, we summarize the structure and physiological role of the MET receptor, the molecular mechanisms underlying aberrant MET activation, its contribution to acquired resistance against targeted therapies, and emerging strategies for effectively targeting MET alterations in NSCLC. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Precision Medicine: Targeting Known and Emerging Oncogenic Targets in Lung Cancer (2nd Edition))
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