Molecular mechanisms and clinical insights in transformed small cell lung cancer: a narrative review.

ABSTRACT:

Background and objective

In recent years, the application of targeted therapies has significantly improved survival rates in patients with driver gene-positive non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). However, one mechanism underlying acquired resistance is the histological transformation from NSCLC to small cell lung cancer (SCLC). NSCLC-to-SCLC transformation is thought to occur due to selective pressure from targeted therapies, yet this shift has also been observed in patients receiving non-targeted treatments, raising questions about its underlying mechanisms. This review aims to identify key molecular biomarkers predictive of this transformation to optimize clinical management strategies for transformed SCLC (T-SCLC).

Methods

We systematically searched PubMed, EMBASE, the Co

SUBMITTER: Dai X 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12432677 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature