Dr. Lopategui on the Evolution of Targeted Therapies in NSCLC

Jean Lopategui, MD, associate professor of pathology and director of Translational Genomics and of the Molecular Genetics Pathology Fellowship at Cedars-Sinai, discusses the evolution of targeted therapies in non—small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).

Ten years ago, not many targeted therapies were available in the field, but there has been a tremendous improvement in the treatment of patients with NSCLC, says Lopategui. The 1-year mortality rate of stage IV NSCLC is about 50%. Today, patients who harbor molecular alterations can experience durable remissions due to the development of targeted therapies.

Additionally, checkpoint inhibitors could be a second-line treatment option after disease progression on targeted therapies or chemotherapy. These agents could further extend the lives of patients with NSCLC. Although these agents are not curative, it is encouraging to see the progress that has been made, concludes Lopategui.