Resistance in Lung Cancer
A special issue of Cancers (ISSN 2072-6694). This special issue belongs to the section "Cancer Therapy".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 15 March 2027 | Viewed by 22
Special Issue Editor
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
Lung cancer remains the leading cause of cancer-related mortality worldwide, accounting for nearly 25% of all cancer deaths. Despite significant advances in targeted therapies and immunotherapies, the emergence of drug resistance continues to be a major clinical challenge, often resulting in disease relapse and poor outcomes. Both non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and small-cell lung cancer (SCLC) exhibit diverse mechanisms of therapeutic resistance, ranging from genetic and epigenetic alterations to tumor–microenvironment interactions and adaptive cellular plasticity.
The prognosis for patients with drug-resistant lung cancer depends largely on the underlying molecular mechanisms. Resistance may arise from secondary mutations (e.g., EGFR T790M, KRAS, and ALK mutations), the activation of bypass signaling pathways (such as MET or HER2), phenotypic changes, including epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT) and neuroendocrine transformation, or from extrinsic factors like immune evasion and stromal support. These adaptive responses diminish the efficacy of even the most potent therapies, underscoring the need for innovative treatment strategies.
Recent studies highlight novel approaches with which to overcome resistance, including next-generation targeted therapies, combination regimens, antibody–drug conjugates, and rationally designed immunotherapy strategies. While encouraging, these advances are still insufficient to establish comprehensive, long-term clinical guidelines.
In this context, we aim to explore the epidemiology, resistance mechanisms, tumor microenvironment, and emerging therapeutic strategies in drug-resistant lung cancer in this Special Issue. By keeping the scope broad, we welcome contributions that span basic mechanistic research, translational insights, and clinical perspectives, with particular emphasis on new directions and future opportunities to overcome resistance.
Dr. Mohamed Gadelkarim
Guest Editor
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Keywords
- lung cancer
- SCLC
- NSCLC
- drug resistance
- genetic mutations
- tumor microenvironment
- EMT
- biomarkers
- targeted therapy
- immunotherapy
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